How to Find Hope
When you Face Mortality
Earlier this evening I was listening to one of the last songs recorded by Johnny Cash, probably the best country western singer of all time. The line in his song, “put me in my box on the 309”, is coming from a man who is facing his own imminent death. With the loss of his beloved wife, June Carter Cash still heavy on his heart, Johnny was ready to go to God.
At sixty-five, I’m more aware than ever of my own mortality. I’m not afraid of death but find myself concerned about the monastery and wanting it to prosper beyond my life. I believe with all my heart that this place was built by God, working one miracle after another to make it happen, but like a mother who’s given birth to her child and wanting the best for him, I’m not in a hurry to leave this life. I want to know this monastery will be on sure footing and with enough young monks to continue into the next generation before they put my box on the 309.
Like Johnny Cash in his last album, I find myself driven by a desire to share in words my life experience and help today’s young people realize the importance of making God central in their lives. We live in an age where many are living in a constant state of listlessness, not caring or being concerned about their spiritual condition, or that of the world. Having given themselves over to leisure pursuits and entertainment, they’ve become unable to be attentive to that which is of eternal importance. As the economy falters and the world seems on the brink of total meltdown, they have failed to build a foundation that will help them face the challenges and dangers that lie ahead.
History is filled with times like ours and the spiritually fit were the ones who came through those difficult times and prospered. The spiritually fit can triumph over anything, so I continue trying to encourage this new generation of young people. You have before you many challenges, but you also have the prayerful support of monks everywhere, and the love and respect of people of my generation. With God’s help you will triumph, so don’t neglect the needs of your soul.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Sunday September 22, 2024 / September 9, 2024
13th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone four.
Sunday before the Universal Elevation of the Precious and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord
Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan (movable holiday on the Sunday after September 3rd).
Synaxis of All Saints of Altai (movable holiday on the Sunday after September 7th).
Holy and Righteous Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna.
Martyr Severian of Sebaste (320).
Venerable Joseph, abbot of Volokolamsk (or Volotsk) (1515).
Uncovering of the relics (1896) of St. Theodosius, archbishop of Chernigov (1696).
Elders of the Glinsk Hermitage: Venerables Basil Kishkin (1831); Philaret Danilevsky (1841); Theodotus Levchenko (1859); Macarius Sharov (1864); Martyrius Kirichenko (1865); Euthymius Liubimchenko (1866); Dositheus Kolchenkov (1874); Heliodorus Golovanitsky (1879); Innocent Stepanov (1888); Luke Shvets (1894); Archippus Shestakov (1896); Ioannicius Gromolko (1912); Seraphim Amelin (1958); Andronicus Lukash (1974); Seraphim Romantsov (1976); Zenobius Mazhuga (Seraphim) (1985).
New Hieromartyrs Gregory priest and Aleksander deacon (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Zaharias archbishop of Voronezh, Sergius, Joseph, Alexis, Demetrius priests and Martyr Basil (1937).
New Hieromartyr Andronicus (1938).
New Hieromartyr Alexander, priest (1942).
Venerable Theophanes the Confessor and Faster of Mt. Diabenos (299).
Martyrs Chariton and Straton.
Blessed Nicetas the Hidden of Constantinople (12th c.).
Commemoration of the Third Ecumenical Council (431).
Venerable Onuphrius of Voronsk (1789) (Romania).
Venerable Joachim, abbot of Opochka Monastery (Pskov) (1550).
St. Kieran (Ciaran) of Clonmacnois (Ireland) (ca. 545) (Celtic & British).
St. Omer, bishop of Therouanne (670).
St. Wulfhilda, abbess of Barking.
St. Bettelin, Hermit of Crowland.
The Scripture Readings
Mark 16:1-8 (2nd Matins Gospel)
1 Corinthians 16:13-24
Matthew 21:33-42
Galatians 4:22-31 Ancestors
Luke 8:16-21 Ancestors
Galatians 6:11-18 Sunday before the Universal Elevation
John 3:13-17 Sunday before the Universal Elevation