The holiest place is where you are
Twenty-nine years ago I made a pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain of Athos, where I was able to visit seven ancient monasteries. Upon my return to the United States, I asked by spiritual father, the Ever-Memorable Archimandrite Dimitri, for a blessing to return to Mt. Athos, where I said I’d like to spend the remainder of my life in monastic repentance. Father Dimitri told me that I must stay here, that my “salvation is on Vashon Island”.
At the time I thought it rather peculiar that Father Dimitri had not quickly granted his blessing, for what better place to live as a monk, than the Holy Mountain? A monastic republic of such great historical and spiritual significance to the whole of the Orthodox world, and Father Dimitry thought I should remain on Vashon Island? As well, we didn’t even own the old farm house we were renting. We had no money, no regular income, and neither of us was a priest, so we were required to leave the island for various parishes, when we wanted to attend the Divine Liturgy.
Yet, I also knew the importance of monastic obedience to one’s spiritual father. I knew that Arcimandrite Dimitri was known as a living saint, and clairvoyant (one blessed with great spiritual gifts of discernment and prophecy). So, by God’s grace, I received this word from my Elder as a clear sign from God, and I was obedient, and remained on Vashon Island.
Years later, I remember asking Abbess Susanna, my spiritual sister, and a woman known by all as a living saint herself, if she might not be tempted to sell their property, and find a more suitable and beautiful setting for the Kazan Skete. Mother looked at me with her sweet and humble smile, and said, “But, Father, this is my holy mountain”.
Abbess Susanna’s words reminded me of the words of Saint Gregory of Nyssa, where he wrote in his great work, “On Pilgrimages”, the following:
“We confessed that the Christ Who was manifested is very God, as much before as after our travel to Jerusalem; our faith in God was not increased afterwards any more than it was diminished. Before we saw Bethlehem we knew God made man by means of the Virgin; before we saw His grave we believed in His Resurrection from the dead; apart from seeing the Mount of Olives, we confessed that His Ascension into heaven was real. We derived only this much profit from our traveling there: namely that we came to know by being able to compare them, that our own places are far holier than those abroad. Wherefore, you who fear the Lord, praise Him in the places where you now are. Change of place does not effect any drawing nearer to God, but wherever you may be, God will come to you, if the chambers of your soul be found of such a sort that He can dwell in you and walk in you. But if you keep your inner man full of wicked thoughts, even if you were on Golgotha, even if you were on the Mount of Olives, even if you stood on the memorial-rock of the Resurrection, you will be as far away from receiving Christ into yourself, as one who has not even begun to confess Him.”
In Orthodoxy, there is no primacy of place, merely primacy of honor. Where Christ is proclaimed, there the Church resides. While one place might be given higher honor, this is in no way diminished in place. Holiness is to be acquired where God has placed us.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Friday February 3, 2017 / January 21, 2017
33rd Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Fast. Fish Allowed
Venerable Maximus the Confessor (662).
Martyr Neophytus of Nicaea (305).
Martyrs Eugene, Candidus, Valerian, and Aquila at Trebizond (303).
Venerable Maximus the Greek of Russia (1556).
New Hieromartyr Elias priest (1938).
Virgin-martyr Agnes of Rome (304).
Martyr Anastasius, disciple of St. Maximus the Confessor (662).
Wonderworking Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Paramythia(Vatopedi, Mt. Athos).
Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos “Stabbed” (“Zaklannaya”) and “Xenophite Hodegetria”.
Venerable Neophytes of Vatopedi on Mt Athos (Greek).
St. Zosimas, bishop of Syracuse (662).
Synaxis of the Church of Holy Peace by the Sea in Constantinople.
St. Timon, monk of Nadeyev and Kostroma (1840).
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.”
2 Peter 1:1-10
Greeting the Faithful
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
Mark 13:1-8
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple
13 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
2 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”
5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
Dear Rev. Father: As a Roman Catholic I was disappointed with your comment. In this day and age when Christians are under attack throughout the world, the last thing I expected was a negative view of Roman Catholic teaching. There shall be no united Christian experience if we attack each others religious beliefs. Joseph Lepore
You are correct, Joseph. I replaced the offending paragraph.
Dear Rev. Father: My respect for you grows each day. I look forward to reading more of your wonderful insight into message of Jesus. With warmest regards to you and members of the Orthodox Church. Thank the Lord for priests like yourself. Joe Lepore
This explains to me: when I was going to choose country going with the ferryboat to Sweden from Denmark, I experienced the Lord as standing on top of the staircase coming into Sweden (I know well we shall not think of what we see..but it affected my choice) – I heard the words : This is the place where I live !
And I often later wondered : how – where- why.
Thank you.
Father,
Given the current political climate and hatred displayed in our country, I am at a loss, bewildered. I imagine that some place else, anywhere, must be a better place to live than where I currently reside. As many, I also imagine God must be closer, and must be more easily experienced…in some other place. If only I could live there, all would be well. In that place, I would of course be more loving, more caring, more,….Christ like.
Maybe it’s when we stop struggling like newborn babes, and accept the swaddling of our circumstances that we find peace.
Thank you, Abbot Tryphon, for this entry. In the years I’ve been around Orthodoxy, I’ve been hearing Mt. Athos this, Mt. Athos that. Some won’t like it this but it bothers me that they get so much attention, but they exclude women. How is it that it’s the “holiest” place but yet excludes half the population? Yes, I’ve heard the excuses, and that is what they are…excuses to be sexist. There is no notable well publicized female equivalent to Athos, so it’s not fair IMO. To me, if a place does that they don’t deserve to be considered the “holiest” place on earth. It’s like saying men are more spiritual than women.
The tradition is that since the Holy Virgin had visited the Holy Mountain, and was so taken by the beauty of the place, asked her son to give it to her, she is the only woman who can come to this place. She has, indeed, visited the Holy Mountain many times, since the twenty great monasteries were founded. Although this is considered the only monastic republic in the world, and a spiritual center for Orthodoxy, it is by far NOT the only holy place in the Orthodox world. Many great women’s monasteries line the shores of nearby peninsulas, so there are plenty of places for woman to make holy pilgrimages. And since this whole republic is monastic, it would be problematic should it be open to women, as the monks have purposely separated themselves from the temptations that would be found in the world. They even greatly limit the number of non-Orthodox male visitors, in their desire to keep the place focused on the inner life of the monastic. The ban on women in NO WAY suggests men are more spiritual then women.
I am so glad that you are obedient other wise we would not get to read your wonderful stories, feel the faith and find the answer to our questions. Peace be with you.
This post makes me happy because I was born 29 years ago on this day 🙂 I also struggle with thinking that as soon as I am in the right place I will be able to find holiness. Thank you for the reminder that I AM in the right place.