OUR FEAR BASED WORLD

Fear Based Communities Use Abuse to Keep Their People in Line

There are a lot of fear based communities in our world. Some are religious and some are political. All are guilty of missing the mark when it comes to the message of the Church. We Christians were not programmed to be victims, living in fear. For the Christian the True Self is the one that is created in the image and likeness of God.

As children of the Most High we are meant to live, not in fear, but in a joyful state, knowing and experiencing the love of God. Our God is not a god of anger and vengeance, but one Who invites us into a relationship based in loving communion. God is not waiting to send down fire upon our heads as an angry parent, but rather a loving Father Who desires that we connect with our true selves and put off the false self.

When we live as problem centered people we miss the mark. If we focus on those things in our lives that are negative, such as struggles with a particular sin, or negative thinking, we fail to live up to the true self.

Many therapists keep their patients in a codependent state by giving them labels that speak of mental illness. Political parties often keep themselves in power by playing to the negative labels they’ve created for the opposition. Religions often do the same thing, even with their own adherents, keeping them hooked in a negative pattern that disallows a spiritual growth that leads to healing and spiritual well being.

Fear based communities use abuse to keep their people in line, leaving them in a state of perpetual infancy, unable to reach their full potential and preventing them from realizing their true self. Such institutions, political or religious, prevent people from flourishing.

God invites us to integrate our lives as His children and utilizing all the gifts He has given us which lead to fulfilled lives. Fear is vanquished for the Christian precisely because we ARE His children. In Orthodoxy the priests and bishops are called upon to encourage the faithful to live lives in faithfulness to God’s commandments, not because there will be grave consequences if we don’t, but because of the great joy that is ours when we have communion with Him.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

UPDATE: Thanks to my cardiologist, Dr. Peter Demopulos of Swedish Medical Center in Seattle (his late dad, Father Homer Demopulos of blessed memory, was rector of Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Seattle), I am now 59 pounds lighter, and no longer suffering from Congestive Heart Failure and sleep apnea. I saw Dr. Demopulos yesterday, and was told I am in great shape, and doing remarkably well for a man of 75. I want to thank all of you who have been praying for me these past number of years. Due to my weight loss, all my black cassocks are too long in the front, so I’m always tripping over them, so I am wearing a hand-me-down gray cassock that was always too small for me. Perfect for the 100 degree weather we’re supposed to get this weekend.

Friday June 25, 2021 / June 12, 2021
Afterfeast of Pentecost. Tone seven.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
Venerable Onuphrius the Great (400).
Venerable Peter of Mt. Athos (734).
Opening of the relics (1650) of St. Anna of Kashin (1338).
Venerable Arsenius, abbot of Konevits (1447).
Venerable Onuphrius, abbot of Malsk (Pskov) (1492).
Venerables Bassian and Jonah, monks, of Petroma (Solovki) (1561).
Venerables Onuphrius and Auxentius, monks, of Vologda (1521).
Venerable Stephen of Komel, abbot of Ozersk Monastery, Vologda (1542).
Venerables John, Andrew, Heraclemon, and Theophilus, hermits of Egypt (4th c.).
St. John the Soldier of Egypt (6th-7th c.).
Venerable Onuphrius, abbot of Katrom Monastery (Vologda) (16th c.).
St. Julian of Dagouta at Constantinople (Greek).
New Martyrs Onuphrius, bishop (1938), and with him: Anthony, Barsanuphius and Joseph (1937), and bishop Alexander Kharkovsky.
St. Olympius, bishop and confessor who suffered in Thrace (4th c.).
St. Timothy the Hermit of Egypt (4th c.).
St. Cunera, virgin-martyr of Rhenen (451) (Neth.).
Venerable John (Tornike) of Mt. Athos (998) (Georgia).
Finding of the relics (1672) of St. John of Moscow, fool-for-Christ (1589).
Synaxis of All Saints of St. Onuphrius Monastery at Jablechna (Poland).
Miracle-working icons of the Theotokos (14th c.) and St. Onuphrius (14th c.) at St. Onuphrius Monastery (Poland).

The Scripture Readings

Romans 2:14-29

14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles

17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.

Circumcision of No Avail

25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Matthew 5:33-41

Jesus Forbids Oaths

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Go the Second Mile

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

Galatians 5:22-6:2

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Bear and Share Burdens

6 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Matthew 11:27-30

27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”