Proclaim The Gospel
The Church Militant, which is the Church of Christ here on this earth, is in the midst of a battle. Our enemy is not one of flesh and blood, but one of darkness and evil. The survival of humankind is not dependent on the number of people who accept or reject the true faith, but rather that those who do, activate the fermentation, for just as yeast acts as a starter for bread, so faith in Christ can transform the entire cosmos.
Satan hates the Church, and the spirit of darkness hates those who proclaim the truth, both in how they love others, and how they proclaim the gospel in all its purity and holiness. As the world proclaims foul and evil teachings that are in opposition to the truths proclaimed in the gospels, God’s true servants proclaim the healing message the world so desperately needs.
True proclaimers of the teachings of the Church become the active ingredients for the transformation of this fallen world, often while the world marginalizes them. In an attempt to silence the very purveyors of God’s truth, those who, often without realizing it, fail in their own witness to Christ, are in fact misdirecting those who most need the medicine needed for the very transformation that only Truth can offer.
In these dark days for our world, many seemingly serious Christians are offering watered down faulty cures for an ailing society that is no different than that offered by atheists and Marxists. They turn themselves into secular social workers, offering only that which the world has to offer.
These are times that call for bold and courageous Orthodox faithful to step forward, proclaiming the Gospel Truth without fear, even unto death. If we are not willing to be marginalized by the society that surrounds us, or even to face martyrdom, we are unworthy to call ourselves Christians. In the end it is not the world whose respect we must seek, but the admiration and solidarity with the saints who have gone on before us in victory, and who await us in the Heavenly Kingdom.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Quote of the Day
“You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Radiant joy streams from the face of one who gives & kindles joy in the heart of one who receives. All condemnation is from the devil.”
– St. Seraphim of Sarov
Saturday, August 11, 2024 (7532) / Saturday, August 24, 2024
Saturday of the 9th week after Pentecost; Tone VII
Fast: Wine and oil allowed
Daily Scripture Readings
(Saturday of the 9th week after Pentecost)
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.