The doctrine of original sin as espoused in the West, is foreign to Orthodoxy, yet in no way suggests we do not need to be born again (born anew). We believe, as did the Early Church Fathers, that we inherit only the results of Adam’s sin, not his guilt. This is known as ancestral sin because the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, resulted in our inheritance of death, sickness and an inclination toward evil. Christ’s death on the cross has its power, not in an atonement sacrifice, but in the conquering of the power of death. Death is trampled down by death. It is by Christ’s resurrection that a way was made for us to be transformed by contact with the Living God, thus becoming his children by adoption.

Although we do not refer to ourselves as “saved”, as do Evangelical Christians, we nevertheless believe that we are in need of salvation. Salvation is a process, not a one time commitment. Our understanding of sin in an ancestral way, which is distinct from the concept of original sin and the hereditary guilt that required, consequently, a substitutionary atonement-type of sacrifice, separates us doctrinally from Western Christianity.

Had there not been a fall, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Logos (Word) would still have incarnated into the flesh and taken on our nature. For it is by this condescension by our Creator God to take on the nature of that which He created that we are given the opportunity of being deified (Saint Paul said we shall become as gods).

Our journey into the heart culminates in theosis, whereby we are joined in everlasting communion with the very God Who created us. Saint Athanasius of Alexandria said, “The Son of God became man, that we might become god.” In II Peter 1:4, we read that we have become “…partakers of divine nature.” Saint Athanasius further says that theosis is “becoming by grace what God is by nature.”

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

(Picture: The sarcophagus that originally contained the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, picture taken by our traveling friends of the monastery who live in Vashon Island. Please pray for their safe travels!)

Wednesday September 25, 2024 / September 12, 2024

14th Week after Pentecost. Tone four.
Fast. Food with Oil

Apodosis of the Nativity of the Theotokos.
Hieromartyr Autonomus, bishop in Italy (313).
Venerable Athanasius (1401), disciple of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and abbot of the Vysotsk Monastery in Serpukhov, and his disciple Venerable Athanasius (1395).
New Hieromartyrs Theodore, John, Nicholas priests and Martyr Alexis (1937).
translation of the relics (1704) of Righteous Simeon of Verkhoturye (1642).
Venerable Bassian of Tiksna (Vologda) (1624).
Martyr Julian of Galatia, and forty martyrs with him (4th c.).
Hieromartyr Theodore, archbishop of Alexandria (606).
St. Coronatus, bishop of Iconium (3rd c.).
Martyr Macedonius in Phrygia, and with him Martyrs Tatian and Theodulus (4th c.).
St. Sacerdos, bishop of Lyons in Gaul (Gaul).
Venerable Daniel of Thassos, monk (843) (Greek).
St. Andronicus of Atroa (9th c.) (Greek).
Hieromartyr Dositheus of Tbilisi, Georgia (1795) (Georgia).
St. Ailbhe (Elvis) of Emly (527) (Celtic & British).

The Scripture Readings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh6Hj3l0Rwg

2 Corinthians 13:3-13

3

since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.

4

For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

5

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified.

6

But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

7

Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.

8

For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

9

For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete.

10

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.

11

Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

12

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

13

All the saints greet you.


Mark 4:35-41

35

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

36

Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.

37

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.

38

But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

40

But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

41

And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”


Galatians 1:1-10, 20-2:5

1

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),

2

and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:

3

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

4

who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

5

to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

6

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

7

which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

8

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

9

As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

10

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

20

(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

21

Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

22

And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.

23

But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.”

24

And they glorified God in me.

1

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.

2

And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.

3

Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

4

And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),

5

to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.


Mark 5:1-20

1

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.

2

And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

3

who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains,

4

because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.

5

And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

6

When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.

7

And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

8

For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!”

9

Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”

10

Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.

11

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.

12

So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.”

13

And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

14

So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened.

15

Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

16

And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.

17

Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

18

And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.

19

However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”

20

And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.


Philippians 2:5-11 Epistle, Theotokos

5

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

6

who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

7

but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

8

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

9

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

10

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

11

and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28 Gospel, Theotokos

38

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

39

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.

40

But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

41

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

42

But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

27

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”

28

But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

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