If it is easily attained, it is easily lost
We Americans are accustomed to having everything happen quickly, and without delay. We want our food prepared before we drive up to the window of the fast food place restaurant, our music on demand, and our favorite shows on line so we don’t have to wait for an appointed hour, as was the case with television networks. And we want our spiritual lives to be on the same quick time line as with everything else in our lives.
We don’t have the patience for the spiritual growth that comes with the knowledge of the writings of the holy fathers, so we don’t practice regular spiritual reading. Prayer Rules are too restrictive, so we relegate prayer time to “when we are in the mood”. Church attendance is limited to the essential Sunday Liturgy, and even then we arrive late and perhaps leave before the Thanksgiving Prayers have been concluded. If our mind wanders during prayer, we let it, avoiding even the least amount of struggle.
Saint Isaac the Syrian wrote about our generation, when he said, “For anything that is quickly obtained is also easily lost, whereas everything found with toil is also kept with careful watching.” A spiritual life is like a garden. We first till the ground, working in compost, and only then do we plant the seeds. We water faithfully, knowing that even a day passing without water could kill the seedlings. Weeds that would crowd out the plants are carefully removed, and we tend the garden with loving attention. The soul is like this garden, and we must be attentive to nurturing the soul, that it my bear fruit, and grow as the Lord intended it.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
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Tuesday December 9, 2014 / November 26, 2014
27th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Fish Allowed
Venerable Alypius the Stylite of Adrianopolis (640).
Dedication of the Church of St. George at Kiev (1051).
Repose of St. Innocent, first bishop of Irkutsk (1731).
New Hieromartyrs Nicholas, John, Gregory and Nazarius, Basil, Basil, Ilia, Basil, Daniel, Michael, Nicholas priests, New Hieromartyr Tikhon (1937).
New Hieromartyr Piter (after 1937).
Venerable James the Solitary of Syria (457).
Venerable Nicon Metanoeite (“Preacher of Repentance”) of Armenia (998).
New Martyr George of Chios (1807) (Greek).
Venerables Athanasius and Theodosius of Cherepovets (1382), disciples of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Venerable Stylianos of Paphlagonia, monk (Greek).
St. Silas, bishop of Persidos (Greek).
St. Peter, patriarch of Jerusalem (552).
St. Acacius of Mt. Latros (6th c.) (Greek).
Scripture Readings for the Day
1 Timothy 5:11-21
11 But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, 12 having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. 13 And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. 14 Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 15 For some have already turned aside after Satan. 16 If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.
Honor the Elders
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” 19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. 20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
21 I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.
Luke 19:45-48
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
45 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, 48 and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.
Very good comparison to a garden, our soul. I love to garden and I have one every year since I have lived n the northwest. It is all that, the care, the constant attending to, the EVERYDAY attention and the best is the end result when treated with all the necessary attention. But, we all miss a watering day now and then and so the plants wither when taken care of. Our soul’s do the same thing when not properly attended to, and it shows!