Love

And the Acquisition of Holiness

As Christians, we know the struggle against the passions must be a daily battle, if we are to live according to biblical standards. This quest to defeat the passions is impossible without love, for a loveless heart desires nothing beyond supporting its own ego.

The Lord told His disciples of the impossibility of loving God, Whom we have not seen, if we do not first love our neighbor. Making this even more of a challenge is the fact that we are even charged by the Lord with loving our enemies.

Under the influence of Satan, because of his malice against us, we focus on self-love, and the battle against the passions remains dormant. Unless we seek out God’s redemptive grace, we have no hope of letting love consume our hearts, and we remain locked in the darkness of sickness and death.

It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the accompanying acquisition of a humble and contrite heart, that love gains the upper hand, and our struggle against self-will finds victory. Without a loving heart, we can not enter the Kingdom of God. Love is the key to holiness, and comes only to those who struggle.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photo: Protodeacon Brendan Doss, who serves under Archbishop Benjamin of Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, spent two nights with us. It was a blessing for me to have Father Brendan, a long time friend, serving with me during Sunday’s Divine Liturgy.

Monday November 11, 2013

21^st Week after Pentecost. Tone three.

Virgin-martyr Anastasia the Roman (256).
Venerable Abramius the Recluse (360) and his niece St. Mary, of Mesopotamia (397).
Venerable Abramiu., archimandrite of Rostov (Valaam) (1073).
New Hieromartyrs Nicholas priest and with him Cosma, Victor, Naum, Philip, John, Paul, Andrew, Paul, Basil, Alexis, John and Virgin-martyr Agaphia (1918).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1930).
New Hieromartyr Eugine priest (1937).
Virgin-martyr Anastasia (after 1937).
New Hieromartyr Leonid priest (1941).
Martyrs Claudius, Asterius, Neon, and Theonilla, of Aegae in Cilicia (285).
Venerable Anna (known as Euphemianus) of Constantinople (826).
Venerable Abramius, recluse of the Kiev Caves (12th-13th c.).
Venerable Martyr Anastasius.
Venerable Ermelindis, hermitess (6th c.) (Neth.).
New Martyr Athanasius of Sparta, at Muatanach (1653) (Greek).
Martyr Timothy of Esphigmenou Monastery, Mt. Athos (1820) (Greek).
Martyr Melitene of Marcionopolis (Greek).
Martyrs Cyril, Menas, and Menaeus (Greek).
St. Rostislav, prince of Moravia, Czechoslovakia (870).
St. Serapion of Zarzma, Georgia (900) (Georgia).
You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted name.

THANKS to all of you who have been able to contribute towards the support of the monastery. These difficult times of economic hardship have impacted the monastery, and those of you who have been able to donate, have been our lifeline. May God bless you for your generosity, and kindness.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

The Scripture Readings for the Day

Philippians 4:10-23

Philippian Generosity

¹⁰But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. ¹¹Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹²I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
¹⁴Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. ¹⁵Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. ¹⁶For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. ¹⁷Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. ¹⁸Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. ¹⁹And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ²⁰Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Greeting and Blessing

²¹Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. ²²All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.
²³The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Luke 11:29-33

Seeking a Sign

²⁹And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. ³⁰For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. ³¹The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. ³²The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

The Lamp of the Body

³³“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.