The Priest

The chief sign of a priest

If a priest is not himself filled with the Holy Spirit he will be unable to share Christ with others in a convincing way. A priest who is not humble and compassionate, and living in repentance, will not be able to impart an authentic faith that is believable. No amount of training and no program of outreach will work if a priest is not living a genuine life in Christ. If he is not an icon of the living Christ, imparting love and compassion to others, his ministry will fall short of God’s intent and he will be a priest in name only.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photo: Father Theodor Svane, and his wife Hanne, Norwegian converts to the Orthodox Church, and their two children, visited the monastery this past week.  Before coming to the U.S. for seminary, Father Theodor was a civil/construction engineer, and his wife Hanne an associate professor at a Norwegian college.

Sunday October 18, 2015 / October 5, 2015

20th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone three.

Martyr Charitina of Amisus (304).
Sts. Peter (1326), Alexis (1378), Jonah (1461), Macarius (1563), Philip (1569), Hermogenes (Germogen) (1612), Philaret (1867), Innocent (Veniaminov) (1879), and Tikhon (1925), metropolitans of Moscow.
Venarable Gabriel confessor (1959).
Venerable Damian the Healer (1071), and Venerables Jeremiah (1070) and Matthew (1085), clairvoyants of the Kiev Caves.
Venerable Charitina, princess of Lithuania (1281).
Hieromartyr Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria (265).
Martyr Mamelta (Mamelchtha) of Persia (344).
Venerable Gregory (Grigol) the Archimandrite of Chandzoe in Klarjeti, Georgia (861) (Georgia).
Venerable Fathers and Mothers of the Klarjeti Wilderness (9th c.).
Venerable Cosmas, abbot in Bithynia (10th c.).
Uncovering of the relics (1841) of Venerable Eudocimus the Unknown, monk of Vatopedi, Mt. Athos (Greek).
Venerable Methodia of Cimola (1908) (Greek).
St. John (Mavropos), metropolitan of Euchaita (1100).
St. Sabbas of Vatopedi, Mt. Athos (1350).
St. Varlaam, desert-dweller of Chikoysk (1846).
Uncovering of the relics of New Hieromartyr Bishop Basil of Kineshma (1945).

Scripture Readings

Galatians 1:11-19

Call to Apostleship

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Contacts at Jerusalem

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

Luke 6:31-36

31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.