The place wherein we receive the healing that comes from Christ

Orthodoxy is all about community. The fierce individualism found in much of what claims to be Christianity is in opposition to the Orthodox understanding of faith. The Church as the Body of Christ is where we are united in Christ, becoming part of community. The ancient Greek word Ecclesia literally means to be called into authentic community.

It is within the Church that our personal transformation is intimately connected with the interaction we have with others, and runs side by side with our fellow believers. Ecclesia in modern usage refers to the Church and her role as a spiritual hospital, a place wherein we receive the healing that comes from Christ.

This truth is demonstrated by the fact that we are called by the scriptures to be at peace with our brethren before receiving the Holy Mysteries. We are asked to forgive others as we would be forgiven. We are even called upon by Christ to love our enemies.

Our Christian faith can not be lived in a vacuum. Our personal transformation requires working out our salvation within community. Even the confession of our sins takes place within this community, for each time we sin, we sin against the whole of the Body of Christ.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photo: The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Thursday December 31, 2020 / December 18, 2020
30th Week after Pentecost. Tone four.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Food with Oil
Martyr Sebastian at Rome and his companions: Martyrs Nicostratus, Zoe, Castorius, Tranquillinus, Marcellinus, Mark, Claudius, Symphorian, Victorinus, Tiburtius, and Castulus (287).
Martyr Victor (1937).
New Hieromartyr Thaddeus (Uspensky), archbishop of Tver (1937).
New Hieromartyrs Nicholas archbishop of Velikoustiuzh, James, John, Vladimir, and Nicholas priests (1937).
New Hieromartyr Sergius deacon and Virgin-martyr Vera (1942).
Venerable Sebastian, abbot of Poshekhonye Monastery (Vologda) (1500).
Glorification (1694) of Righteous Simeon, wonderworker of Verkhoturye (1642).
St. Modestus I, archbishop of Jerusalem (4th c.).
Venerable Florus, bishop of Amisus (7th c.).
Venerable Michael the Confessor at Constantinople (845).
Venerable Daniel the Hermit (Romania).
Martyr Eubotius at Cyzicus (318).
Venerable Winnibald, abbot and missionary of England and Heidenheim (Germany) (761) (Celtic & British).
Hieromartyr Zaccheus the Deacon and St. Alpheus the Reader of Caesarea (Greek).
St. Gatianus, first bishop of Tours (3rd c.).
St. Sophia the Wonderworker (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

Hebrews 10:35-11:7

35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

37 “For yet a little while,
And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe in the saving of the soul.

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained good testimony.

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Faith at the Dawn of History

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Mark 9:10-16

10 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

11 And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

12 Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”

A Boy Is Healed

14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”

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3 thoughts on “The Church

  1. Fr bless, thank you for this encouragement and for sounding the alarm.
    We need the Church and the Church needs us! True statement that Covid has affected thousands upon thousands physically. The greater demise has been the resultant “spiritual virus”… lockdowns, fear, apathy, loss of first love all leading to fewer attending liturgy regularly, if at all. What will happen when real persecution begins?? May we always embrace our Lord Jesus Christ and His bride, the Church.

    Ps, thank you for sharing the glorious photo of the Moscow Patriarchate. I’m still learning about the Church’s structure/inner workings, but that seems like a large amount of Bishops? God bless Russia!

    1. Melody, Russia needs that many bishops to lead the flock of millions of believers. We have far smaller numbers in this country and don’t need as many. For instance, the western diocese for the OCA and the Greeks only have one bishop each in a large area, if it was in Russia it would need lots of Bishops for the churches.

      That is a fabulous picture and I am going to send it to one of our families whose surname is Bishop.

  2. I truly feel at home in the Orthodox community I am locally apart of. It is otherworldly and a sign of God’s grace and presence in his Church.

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