Living a simple life contributes toward inner healing
Our monastery has a large organic vegetable garden, believing as Orthodox monks that we should give witness to sustainable living. Raising free range chickens, and eating only organic eggs, fits in with our overall goal of living as good stewards of the earth. We are hoping to come up with the needed funds to have the solar panels that were donated, mounted on the roofs of our library and monastic refectory, thus allowing us to set a good example to the island community of sustainable living.
As Orthodox Christians we must be concerned with how we impact the earth. Demonstrating sustainability and simple living is all a part of our overall plan to honor that which God has given us.
Our hens and ducks, like all animals, are God’s creatures. That they have feelings, as is quite evident to anyone who has raised them, requires us to treat them with respect and tenderness. By raising these free range foul, we are refusing to contribute to the pain and suffering that “egg factories” inflict on hens, forced to live an unspeakably horrible life cramped in small cages, and treated as egg producing machines, rather than creatures created by a loving God.
Living simple lives as good stewards of all that which God has given us, helps us to practice love and compassion. If we do not learn to love the natural world, and all animals, we can hardly expect to learn love and compassion towards other humans, and ultimately, to love God, the Creator of all. Simple living helps us avoid the temptations of overconsumption, and all the other distractions that keep our minds on things that do not support the spiritual life, and contribute towards our inner healing.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: Father Martin working in our large organic vegetable garden, and Father Peter tending the ducks and chickens.
Wednesday May 30, 2018 / May 17, 2018
Afterfeast of Pentecost. Tone seven.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
Apostle Andronicus of the Seventy and his fellow laborer Junia (1st c.).
Venerable Euphrosyne (Princess Eudocia) of Moscow (1407).
Martyrs Solochon, Pamphamer, and Pamphalon at Chalcedon (298).
St. Stephen, archbishop of Constantinople (893).
Translation of the relics (1551) of Venerable Adrian, abbot of Ondrusov (Valaam) (1549).
St. Melangell, virgin hermitess of Wales (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Venerables Nectarius (1550) and Theophanes (1544) of Meteora (Greek).
Venerable Athanasius the New, wonderworker of Christianopolis (18th c.) (Greek).
Great-martyr Nicholas of Sophia (1555).
St. Jonah Atamansk, priest of Odessa (1924).
The Scripture Readings
Romans 1:18-27
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like [e]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
Matthew 5:20-26
20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly,while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.