The idolatry of self-esteem
Among the contributors to self-worship, is the possibility of falling into a form of idolatry associated with self-esteem. It is easy to fall into this form of idolatry, since our society has placed a great deal of emphasis on the need for self-esteem. The modern religion of psychoanalysis has promoted self-esteem as though it were the modern equivalent of enlightenment. The priests of this modern, humanistic religion have made millions on the selling of self-esteem, with the end result that we’ve become a society given over almost entirely to image.
Our children have been deprived of childhood, focused as they are, on the acquisition of an archetype image promoted by pop culture. Little girls have been sexualized by a society that has allowed them to be influenced by the music industry. Parents and teachers have been almost powerless in combating the horrid influences that have torn the childhood innocence away from our little ones.
Little boys have not escaped the insidious warping of childhood innocence, immersed, as they’ve been, by a society that has become hyper-sexualized. The whole of society has entered into such a hedonistic state, as to be largely untroubled by the cultural changes that have befallen the twenty-first century. Image has become all important to many people, with plastic surgery, face lifts, and tummy tucks becoming the new normal, with large numbers of people suddenly dissatisfied with their looks, and their bodies.
The need for self-esteem has displaced the role of humility, so valued a hallmark for a well adjusted, good person, and pride enters the heart. This demon of pride can only be driven away by intense prayer and by not doing or saying anything that contributes to the sense of self importance. That self-esteem which gives rise to pride, seals us to the same fate which cast down the highest of the angels. Let us turn quickly away from pride and not ally with it, lest we surrender our life to others, and your substance to the merciless (cf. Prov. 5:9).
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: Our monastery’s courtyard.
Sunday June 24, 2018 / June 11, 2018
4th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone three.
Apostles’ (Peter & Paul) Fast. Fish Allowed
Synaxis of All Saints of Pskov-Pechers (movable holiday on the 4th Sunday of Pentecost).
Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas (1st c.).
Venerable Barnabas, abbot of Vetluga (1445).
New Hieromartyr Mitrophan priest, and those with him (1900).
Uncovering of the relics (1572) of Venerable Ephraim, abbot of New Torzhok (1053).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “It is Truly Meet” (“Axion Estin”) (10th c.).
Translation of the relics of Venerable Arcadius, monk of Vyazma and New Torzhok (1077).
St. Niphont patriarch of Constantinople (Romania).
Commemoration of the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel(10th c.) to a monk on Mt. Athos, and the revelation of the hymn “It Is Truly Meet” (Axion Estin).
St. Barnabus of Basa near Limasol in Cyprus (Greek).
Martyr Theopemptus and four otherss (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
Luke 24:1-12
He Is Risen
24 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”
8 And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.
Romans 6:18-23
18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 8:5-13
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.