The Importance of Stability of Place in Personal Growth
An Elder said: Just as a tree cannot bear fruit if it is often transplanted, so neither can a monk bear fruit if he frequently changes his abode.
In an age when people change addresses as often as those in past generations changed their socks, stability of place is almost unheard of. When I was a young man I moved from city to city quite often. One year alone I lived in New York City, Berkeley, California and Portland, Oregon. If I hated a job, I’d move. If my social life was on the rocks, I’d move. Reinventing myself in a new location became the norm. In my attempt to discover my place in this world, I couldn’t stay in one place for very long.
As I grew older and wiser, I realized that the issues which needed to be dealt with had been avoided with each move. If I was ever to grow psychologically and spiritually, I needed to put down roots.
In Orthodox monasticism there are four vows: poverty, chastity, obedience and stability of place. Monks from the very beginning of monasticism realized that spiritual growth was not possible without struggle and a good way to avoid change was to move from place to place. If we are living with others who know our weaknesses, it is not easy to avoid change. Frequently moving from one job to another, one relationship to another, one neighborhood to another, or one city to another, is a sure way to avoid spiritual growth.
Many marriages end in divorce because the couples lacked the necessary stability of place which would have allowed them to confront those issues that needed to be changed. Moving from one parish to another is also a way many people avoid maturing in their faith. Moving from one church to another is just as destructive to the spiritual life as moving from city to city. Avoidance is the enemy of change.
We must stick with the priest or confessor who really knows us. Spiritual transformation takes time, and changing confessors inhibits growth, since we waste time letting the new priest get to know us. We wouldn’t consider changing medical doctors every few years, not when our doctor knows our health history and is watching out for changes in our body that need attention. How much more the soul needs the guidance of a priest who really knows us, having established a relationship of trust. We all need the guidance of one who doesn’t allow us to avoid working on that which inhibits growth in our relationship with God.
Stability can be for us the vehicle by which we are able to confront the habits, sins, and vices, that inhibit God from transforming our lives and making us whole. Constant movement only allows us to hide from ourselves.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Friday October 8, 2021 / September 25, 2021
16th Week after Pentecost. Tone six.
Fast. Food with Oil
Venerable Euphrosyne, nun, of Alexandria (445).
Repose of Venerable Sergius, abbot, of Radonezh (1392).
St. Nicholas confessor, priest (1941).
Uncovering of the relics of New Hieromartyrs Alexander Smirnov and Theodore Remizov priests (1985).
Venerable Euphrosyne, nun, of Suzdal (1250).
Translation of the relics of St. Herman, archbishop of Kazan (1595).
Venerable Dosithea the Recluse of Kiev (1776).
Martyr Paphnutius and 546 companions in Egypt (3rd c.).
Commemoration of the earthquake in Constantinople in 447, when a boy was lifted to heaven and heard the “Trisagion”.
St. Finbar (Barry), bishop of Cork (Ireland) (Celtic & British).
St. Cadoc of Llancarfan (Wales) (577) (Celtic & British).
Martyrs Paul and Tatta and their children Sabinian, Maximus, Rufus, and Eugene of Damascus (Greek).
St. Arsenius the Great, Catholicos of Georgia (887).
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.”
Galatians 5:22-6:2
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Bear and Share Burdens
6 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Luke 6:17-23
Jesus Heals a Great Multitude
17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, 18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
The Beatitudes
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.