Shutting Out All the Noise

“Silence is the Cross that crucifies the ego (Saint Seraphim of Sarov).” 

The desert must be a part of our daily living, for without entering into the desert of the heart, nothing can be gained. With the noise of the radio, television, the Internet, and the world of computers, iPods, laptops, and iPhones, the noise of the world threatens our soul like nothing in the previous history of humanity. The world of cybernetics has its place, but we must not allow it to overwhelm the spiritual dimension of our humanity.

This noise is not only dangerous to us, spiritually, but is dangerous to our children. When we demonstrate by our own willingness to embrace silence, we prepare our children for a life of positive interactions with their friends, teachers, and future employers, for in imparting the importance of silence to them, we empower them with an inner strength that will only come to them when they come to know themselves.

If we are to hear the voice of God speaking to us, we must learn to be silent. Without silence the inner life is impossible, for all the noise and distractions of the world will continue to keep us from that which is all important, the Kingdom of God that is within. Often we need to retreat to our “prayer closet”(St. Matthew 6:6) in order to hear His ” still small voice.”(1Kings 19:12).

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Wednesday October 23, 2019 / October 10, 2019
19th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Fast. Food with Oil
Martyrs Eulampius and Eulampia at Nicomedia and 200 Martyrs with them (296).
St. Innocent, bishop of Penza (1819).
Venerable Ambrose of Optina (1891).
New Hieromartyr Theodore (Pozdeev) archbishop of Volokolamsk (1937).
Saint Amphylochius, Bishop of Vladimir-Volyn (1122).
Synaxis of the seven Saints of Volhynia: Sts. Stephen and Amphilocius (1122), bishops of Vladimir in Volhynia; St. Theodore (in monasticism Theodosius), prince of Ostrog (1483); St. Juliana Olshanskaya (1540); Venerable Job of Pochaev (1651); Hieromartyr Macarius, archimandrite of Kanev (1678); and St. Yaropolk-Peter, prince of Vladimir in Volhynia (1086).
Blessed Andrew of Totma, fool-for-Christ (1673).
Martyr Theotecnus of Antioch (4th c.).
Venerable Bassian of Constantinople (ca. 458).
Venerable Theophilus the Confessor of Bulgaria (716).
Martyrdom of the 26 Martyrs of Zographou Monastery on Mt. Athos by the Latins: Abbot Thomas, monks Barsanuphius, Cyril, Micah, Simon, Hilarion, Job, James, Cyprian, Sabbas, James, Martinian, Cosmas, Sergius, Paul, Menas, Ioasaph, Ioannicius, Anthony, Euthymius, Dometian, Parthenius, and four laymen (1284).
St. Paulinus, archbishop of York (644) (Celtic & British).
St. Pinytus, bishop of Knossos in Crete (2nd. c.).
Zographou Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Of the Akathist”.
Synaxis of the Saints of Optina: Leo (1841), Macarius (1894), Moses (1862), Anthony (1865), Hilarion (1873), Ambrose (1891), Anatolius (1894), Isaacius (1894), Joseph (1911), Barsanuphius (1913), Anatolius (1922), Nectarius (1928), Nicon (1931), and Isaacius (1936).
Martyrs of the Theban Legion along the Rhine: Sts. Cassius and Florentius at Bonn, Sts. Gereon and Companions at Cologne, and Sts. Victor and Companions at Xanten (Germany) (304).

The Scripture Readings

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.”

Philippians 1:12-20

Christ Is Preached

12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.

Luke 8:22-25

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

22 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. 23 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”