How do we discover God in an unbelieving world?
God is a merciful God, quick to forgive, quick to show mercy, quick to embrace us when we turn to Him. In all of eternity our God chose to create humankind in His image and likeness, offering His creatures the opportunity to commune with Him in the endlessness that is time. He’s given us free will, allowing us to choose, or not to choose, a relationship with Him. We, in our freedom, can choose between good (God) and evil (Satan), as is our choice.
We can usually tell the difference between good and evil. Murder and theft are obviously to be found in the evil camp, whereas kindness, philanthropic deeds, mercy and love, are in the camp of holiness, and the divine. Yet so many feel that God is simply a myth, a nice idea, but hardly believable. If this God they’d like to believe in were truly real, wouldn’t He make it easier to see Him, and seek Him out? If we are free to chose God, why doesn’t He make Himself easier to find? Why does this God expect us to believe in Him when we can not see Him, or feel Him? If there be a God, why doesn’t He simply make Himself known, letting us choose or not choose communion with Him?
These are questions that many people pose, at least to themselves. Many want to believe there is a God who cares for them, and is capable of making a difference in their day to day struggles, but just can’t quite surrender to belief. The nihilistic philosophy that has possessed the hearts of many young people today is based on the despair of an age that has seen so many wars, so much poverty, so many murders, so many children abused, and a seemingly hopeless future. How can there be a God when so much suffering abounds in this world? How can there be a God when even innocent people, good people, suffer?
Where is God? He is in the sunrise. He is in the glorious mountains, and the vast sea that stretches beyond the horizon. He is in the tender touch of a mother’s hand on her newborn baby. He is in the protective arm of the police officer who comforts the lost child. He is in the words of absolution pronounced by the priest after a good confession. He is in the smiling face of an old woman at the site of a young couple holding hands. He is in the wonder of the cosmos on a darkened night. He is in the giggle of a small child playing with his grandfather. He is in the warmth of a kitten held in one’s hand. He is in the cross that bore the Son of Man. He is in the bread and wine that become His Body and Blood. He is the transforming Spirit that changes hearts and makes men saints. He is closer to us than our own breath, more loving than a grandmother’s embrace of a sick child. He is everywhere, for there is no place He can not be. He fills all things. He is everywhere to be seen if only we look with open eyes and open hearts.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: Our monastery’s common room and library.
Friday September 2, 2016 / August 20, 2016
11th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Afterfeast of the Dormition.
Prophet Samuel (6th c. B.C.).
New Hieromartyr Vladimir priest (1938).
Hieromartyr Philip, bishop of Heraclea, and with himMartyrs Severus, Memnon, and 37 soldiers at Plovdiv in Thrace (304).
St. Hierotheus of Hungary (10th c.) and St. Stephen I king of Hungary (1038).
Martyr Lucius the Senator of Cyprus (ca. 310).
Martyrs Heliodorus and Dosa (Dausa) in Persia (380).
Putting in again the relics of St. John, bishop of Suzdal and St. Theodore, bishop of Rostov and Suzdal (1879).
Martyr Photina, at the Church of Blachernae (Greek).
St. Philibert of Jumieges (685) (Gaul).
St. Oswin, king and martyr of Northumbria (651) (Celtic & British).
Scripture Readings
2 Corinthians 4:13-18
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
Seeing the Invisible
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Matthew 24:27-33
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!
Thank you, Father. I have only been following your blog for a short time but I appreciate your daily reflections and receive comfort from them.
I am a Roman Catholic whose father embraced Eastern Orthodoxy in 2008. In 2014, he passed away close to the feast of St. Nicholas (Gregorian Calendar). His longtime friend is still living but vacillates between agnosticism and atheism. I could feel his pain as he related that he would never see my father again. Ideas do have consequences. Please pray for him. His name is Fred. Also, kindly pray for my oldest son who has started his senior year studying computer science. I am concerned about the impact of the secular university on his faith. Finally, I would ask that you pray for me. I have felt a strong tug towards Eastern Orthodoxy following the death of my father and am trying to discern whether this is simply grief masquerading as attraction or whether it is genuine. Please know that I have experienced this attraction for years but it has intensified recently. What is strange is that my father urged me to remain Catholic before he passed away. Most likely, had he lived longer, my father would have become Eastern rite Catholic. Nonetheless , I continue to experience the desire for union with the Orthodox on the one hand but remain convinced of the papal claims on the other. This leaves me in limbo. Perhaps Our Lord has allowed this to happen so that I can experience in a very small way what He endures from the division in the Church.
Thank you in advance for your prayers.
In Christ,
Erick W.
First of all, my condolences on the occasion of your father’s repose. Having lost both my parents, I know that feeling of loss. Regarding his friend, Fred, my heart goes out to him. Having no faith, and facing loss, is a very terrible place to be. As a police and fire chaplain for about fifteen years now, I have witnessed many such situations. I’ll be praying for Fred, just as is likely, your father is praying for him.
I suspect your father’s passing is indeed connected to your own pull towards Orthodoxy. He may have pushed you to stay were you are, while he was still alive, but I strongly suspect it is his prayers that are responsible for your present pull towards Orthodoxy. Pray for God’s guidance, and go with your heart.
With love and blessings,
Abbot Tryphon
Beautifully written Abbot Tryphon. I bought your morning meditations book, and am enjoying your insights very much! I also enjoy your online thoughts and lectures. My son and his family are Orthodox, but I am like your brother- not quite there yet.
Fr. Tryphon,
While all you say is true, I think that most of the world would wake up to God very quickly if they had a healthy “psychological” relationship with the physical universe. Psalm 93 says “the world is firmly established; it cannot be moved”. Before any of us could speak and were indoctrinated into the great lies of this age, we would have understood the meaning of this Psalm. But virtually all children in the “educated” or “civilized” world are instantly informed that their intuition about the world is wrong. They feel the earth still, and see it flat, and see the Sun and Moon move over their heads, yet as soon as they go to school they are told that in fact the Earth moves, and is round, and the Sun is bigger, etc. So if so many of us cannot even trust our own basic tangible senses for something as clear and obvious as the Earth that we stand on, how in the world is anyone going to have a SPIRITUAL awakening to God? The spirit is so much more subtle than our physical senses and vision (although it is just as real).