The Church is the mother who nurtures
It is important that we always remember, the Holy Spirit guides the Church. The early Christians worshiped in secret places, and were not able to have formal temples, yet as the Church gained her freedom, public places of worship were built. These new churches were built with a vision and intent to glorify God with the beauty afforded his temples. With these newly built temples, the celebration of the Liturgy of Saint James was, over time, enriched, ever becoming more beautiful. The inspiration for the beauty of these services developed through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The Church is not static, for she is a living organism, guided by Councils of Bishops, who are charged with preserving the faith, guarding their flocks from the danger of heresy, nor the temptations that lead to corrupted practice of the Faith. The Church is not a museum, nor some of depository of historical and cultural importance. She is not a type of court, where people are judged and condemned. She is not a preservation society for a dying faith, or a comfort center for people who’ve caved in to indifference and lethargy.
The Church is a vibrant institution, and relevant for this coming age. Often misunderstood, judged, or distrusted, she is still the hospital of the soul, wherein we can be healed and made whole. The Church is the place where we can be fed with the medicine that will transform us into the creatures God has intended. The beauty of our temples, and the care and love that is found in the majestic beauty of the services, the vestments, the incense, the icons, all attest to the continuation of the ancient tradition of giving our best to God. The Church is a blessed place wherein heaven comes down to us, and peace of God is able to enter our heart.
The Church is the mother who nurtures, and sometimes even prods us to push forward in faith. Within her walls we are forgiven, we are loved, we are healed, all because we are the children of the Most High. Nothing in this world can provide the transformation of a fallen person, into a saint. Apart from the Church, there is no place where the heart is valued over possessions, or humility valued over status. The Church is where everyone is united with Christ, together. It is within the walls of the Church that we discover that salvation is a corporate thing, and that we are not being saved in a vacuum.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: Aerial photograph of All-Merciful Saviour Monastery on Vashon Island.
Sunday July 15, 2018 / July 2, 2018
7th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone six.
Venerables Tikhon, Basil and Nikon Sokolovsky (16th c.) (movable holiday on the 1st Sunday after June 29th).
St. Arsenius, bishop of Tver (movable holiday on the 1st Sunday after June 29th).
Synaxis of saints of Tver (movable holiday on the 1st Sunday after June 29th).
Hieromartirs Neophytus, Jonah, Neophytus, Jonah, and Parthenius of Lampsacus (movable holiday on the 1st Sunday after June 27th).
The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos at Blachernae (5th c.).
St. Photius, metropolitan of Kiev (1431).
St. Juvenal, patriarch of Jerusalem (458).
“Pozai” (17th c.), “Theodotiev” (1487) and “Akhtyr” (1739) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos.
St. Juvenal, protomartyr of America and Alaska (1796).
Right-believing King Stephen the Great of Moldavia (1504) (Romania).
St. Monegunde of Chartres (530) (Gaul).
New Martyr Lampros of Makri (1835) (Greek).
Uncovering of the relics (2003) of New Hieromartyr Priest Sergius Florinsky of Rakvere, Estonia (1918).
Feast of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos (Georgia).
St. Oudoceus, bishop of Llandaff.
St. Swithun, bishop of Winchester.
The Scripture Readings
John 20:1-10
The Empty Tomb
20 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
Romans 15:1-7
Bearing Others’ Burdens
15 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Glorify God Together
7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
Matthew 9:27-35
Two Blind Men Healed
27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”
28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See thatno one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.
A Mute Man Speaks
32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. 33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”
34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”
The Compassion of Jesus
35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.