Do unto others as you would have done unto you (Luke 6:31)
It is a terrible temptation to wish our enemies destruction. Our Lord instructs us to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate us or persecute us. To wish for their destruction is to ignore the love that God has for us, even though our sins have made us enemies of God.
Our salvation is not accomplished in a vacuum, for all of humanity is the beneficiary of Christ’s redemptive act upon the cross. Christ died for all of us and our salvation is interconnected to all of humanity. We should be just as concerned for the salvation of our neighbors as we are for our own salvation.
When we see someone filled with hate and far from God, we should pity them and pray for them. To wish ill upon them is not in keeping with Our Lord’s commandment. Love must reign in our lives, and the salvation of others must be a central theme in our own prayers.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Saturday June 4, 2022 / May 22, 2022
Afterfeast of the Ascension. Tone five.
Hieromartyr Basiliscus, bishop of Comana (308).
St. John-Vladimir, martyr and ruler of Serbia (1015).
Blessed James, youth of Borovichi (Novgorod) (1540).
New Hieromartyr Michael priest (1942).
Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council (381).
New Hieromartyr Zachariah of Prusa (1802) (Greek).
Righteous Melchisedec, king of Salem.
Martyrs Markella and Codratus (Greek).
Martyr Sophia the Healer (Greek).
oNew Monk-martyrs Paul and Demetrius of Tripoli near Kalavryta (1818) (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
Acts 20:7-12
Ministering at Troas
7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. 9 And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” 11 Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. 12 And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.
John 14:10-21
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
The Answered Prayer
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
Jesus Promises Another Helper
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Indwelling of the Father and the Son
19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me.Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”