Loneliness

What to do when we feel isolated and lonely

While on my pilgrimage to Alaska, I met a number of priests who serve isolated village parishes, many of whom expressed difficulty in overcoming a sense of loneliness. This sense of isolation is not reserved for those who live in tiny villages, in remote areas of our globe.

Many people have shared, over the years, their personal battle with isolation and loneliness, even those who live in large cities, and work in crowded offices. This loneliness can be a reality even for those who live in crowded communities, or in family units.

This sense of loneliness is not limited to those who live in isolation, but often becomes a common factor that is shared by family members, fellow parishioners, and coworkers. For some, living far from their parish community can also contribute to a sense of isolation and despair.

For the Orthodox Christian, this sense of isolation and loneliness should be a wake-up call for us to focus more on our relationship with God, and the importance of networking on the parish level with other believers.

When we greet one another with the words, “Christ is in our midst”, we must remember that these are not merely pious words of recognition for the centrality of the Lord in our lives as Christians, but rather a profound expression of the reality that, in Christ, we are one.  Thus, our sense of isolation and loneliness is not related to reality, for how can we be alone when we are “one body” with other Christians?

When we remember to pray for our parents, our children, our relatives, our neighbors, and our co-workers, we remind ourselves that we are not really alone, but part of the family of humanity. Our prayers for others will reinforce the truth that we are not alone in this life journey, but ever part of a larger family. Our prayers for others will serve as the foundation for a love that connects us to others, and even though we may be living with a sense of isolation, others will sense our love for them, and they will know they are loved.

Even in our sense of isolation and loneliness, we can reach out to others by inviting them to a meal in our home, or treat them to coffee and dessert following a service in the temple. We can take an extra piece of pie to their apartment, and let them know that we care. We can mow the lawn of the old woman next door, and let her know that we really do see her as an important part of our life. As we turn our attention toward others, we not only bring relief to their own sense of isolation, but leave them with the knowledge that they are not alone, but an important person to us.

By showing love and mercy to those around us, we bring home the truth that no one “can separate us from the love of God”. Thus, by replacing our own sense of isolation by reaching out to others with love, our own sense of loneliness is replaced by a sense of being part of a greater community, even the family of God, and our loneliness is dissipated. As we extend our love and charity to others, we bring about the healing of our own bruised and empty hearts, and we come to the realization that we are not really alone, but are part of the greater human family.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Monday August 26, 2019 / August 13, 2019
11th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Dormition (Theotokos) Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Apodosis of the Transfiguration.
Venerable Maximus the Confessor (662).
Uncovering of the relics of St. Maximus of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1547).
St. Tikhon (Tychon), bishop of Voronezh, wonderworker of Zadonsk and All Russia (1783).
New Hieromartyrs John, Ioasph and Constantine priests (1918).
New Hieromartyr Seraphim (Zvezdinsky), bishop of Dmitrov, Nicholas, Jacob priests and Alexis deacon (1937).
New Hieromartyr Basil (1942).
New Hieromartyr Basil (Preobrazhensky) bishop of Kineshma.
Martyr Hippolytus of Rome and 18 martyrs with him, including Martyrs Concordia, Irenaeus, and Abundius (258).
“Minsk” (1500), “Seven Arrows” (1830) and “Of the Passion”(1641) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Venerable Serid (Seridos), abbot, of Gaza (6th c.).
Empress Irene, tonsured Xenia (12th c.).
St. Eudocia the Empress (460), wife of Theodosius the Younger.
Venerable Radegunde of Poitiers, nun (587) (Gaul).
Venerable Abba Dorotheos of Gaza (Greek).
St. Wigbert, abbot of Hersfeld, English missionary to Germany (738).

The Scripture Readings

John 10:9-16 Matins Gospel
2 Corinthians 2:3-15
Matthew 23:13-22Monday August 26, 2019 / August 13, 2019

11th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Dormition (Theotokos) Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Apodosis of the Transfiguration.
Venerable Maximus the Confessor (662).
Uncovering of the relics of St. Maximus of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1547).
St. Tikhon (Tychon), bishop of Voronezh, wonderworker of Zadonsk and All Russia (1783).
New Hieromartyrs John, Ioasph and Constantine priests (1918).
New Hieromartyr Seraphim (Zvezdinsky), bishop of Dmitrov, Nicholas, Jacob priests and Alexis deacon (1937).
New Hieromartyr Basil (1942).
New Hieromartyr Basil (Preobrazhensky) bishop of Kineshma.
Martyr Hippolytus of Rome and 18 martyrs with him, including Martyrs Concordia, Irenaeus, and Abundius (258).
“Minsk” (1500), “Seven Arrows” (1830) and “Of the Passion”(1641) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Venerable Serid (Seridos), abbot, of Gaza (6th c.).
Empress Irene, tonsured Xenia (12th c.).
St. Eudocia the Empress (460), wife of Theodosius the Younger.
Venerable Radegunde of Poitiers, nun (587) (Gaul).
Venerable Abba Dorotheos of Gaza (Greek).
St. Wigbert, abbot of Hersfeld, English missionary to Germany (738).

The Scripture Readings

John 10:9-16

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep,and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

2 Corinthians 2:3-15

Forgive the Offender

3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Triumph in Christ

12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Matthew 23:13-22

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.