Saturday, August 15 / August 2 (Church Calendar)

The Orthodox Church is evangelical, but not Protestant. It is orthodox, but not Jewish. It is catholic, but not Roman. It isn’t non-denominational – it is pre-denominational. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended and died for the Faith of the Apostles since the Day of Pentecost 2000 years ago.

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!

Saints of the Day

August 2 / 15. Translation of the Relics of Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen [Acts 6:8-7:5, 47-60; Matt 21:33-42]. Translation of the Relics of Righteous Nicodemus, Gamaliel, and Abibus. Blessed Basil of Moscow, fool-for-Christ. Blessed Basil of Kubensk. Hieromartyr Stephen, pope of Rome. St. Marco of Belavinsk (Vologda). St. Friardus of Vindumitta (Gaul). (Greek Calendar: Martyr Phocas. Translation of the Relics of Martyrs Maximus, Dada, and Quinctilian at Dorostulum in Bulgaria.)

Photo of the Day

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Bishop Theodosy, the clergy, and some of the pilgrims who joined us for our Patronal Feast.
Thought of the Day:

A continuation of yesterday’s shared thoughts…………….   
Yesterday I shared some of the suffering, and the misunderstandings  we experienced during the early years of our monastic struggles. Today I would like to add a few upbeat memories that I treasure in my heart.
When I was perhaps at my lowest point, I traveled to San Francisco for the Glorification of Saint John the Wonderworker, with the intent of seeking his heavenly intercession. About two hours before the Glorification Service was about to begin, I descended one more time to the Crypt Chapel, to pray before Blessed John’s holy relics. With tears, I asked for Saint John’s help. After praying, and when I’d ascended the stairs, leading up to  Geary Boulevard, I saw a bishop exiting a car. I approach Bishop Hilarion (now Metropolitan Hilarion), and asked for his blessing. Upon granting me a blessing, the bishop asked who I was. After I’d told Vladyka Hilarion I was Monk Tryphon, superior of an Orthodox monastery on Vashon Island, near Seattle, he surprised me by asking how long I was going to be in San Francisco. When I told him I’d planned to stay for another four days, he gave me a telephone number, asking that I call him the next day, and inviting me to meet with him. I knew, immediately, that my prayers had been answered. After making that telephone call, and walking into the parish hall of the cathedral a few days later, I was once again surprised that a bishop would leave a group of people he’d been talking to, and walk across the room to speak with a simple monk from another jurisdiction. His first words to me, after we’d seated ourselves at a table, where, “So, why are you not with us?”
I was stunned! After sharing my unfortunate journey, and my sadness at the prospect of having to leave my friends and our monastery’s support system, Vladyka offered to arrange a meeting with Archbishop Anthony’s then auxiliary Bishop Kyrill (now the Ruling Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America). The following day the three of us met in a small room off the sacresty of the cathedral. Both these compasionate bishop’s offered their love and support, and their shared desire to help arrange for our monastery’s reception into the Church Abroad.
One month later, I received a fax stating that we were now a monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. One year later, another fax arrived stating that I was to be ordained a priestmonk on the Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt, in the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin, Joy of All Who Sorrow. How appropriate it was that God, in His loving kindness, arranged for me to be ordained into Christ’s priesthood, in a cathedral dedicated to the Mother of God, who gives joy to a sorrowful man such as I’d become.
Today, I stand before God with a grateful heart, that I am abbot of a monastery that is nearing completion, growing in numbers, and blessed by the loving and pastoral support of a metropolitan, an archbishop, and a bishop, who’ve given me the pastoral guidance, and loving support that I’d so needed, personally, in my journey to please God with the offering of this holy monastery to His greater glory.

Please pray for me a sinner.
Abbot Tryphon

Scripture Readings for the Day

Romans 15:30-33

³⁰ Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, ³¹ that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, ³² that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. ³³ Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Matthew 17:24-18:4

Peter and His Master Pay Their Taxes

²⁴ When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”
²⁵ He said, “Yes.”
And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”
²⁶ Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”
Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. ²⁷ Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

Matthew 18

Who Is the Greatest?

¹ At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
² Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, ³ and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.