Turning Direction

Having encountered Christ our life turns direction

In the story of the Magi we read of three wise men who, having seen a star in the east, travel to a desert cave, wherein they find the Child, laid in a manger by His Virgin Mother.

Once they had beheld the Christ, this encounter with the Messiah filled them with life-transforming grace, and they were no longer the same. Although they had agreed to return by the same route, and report the whereabouts of the Child to King Herod, this encounter in the cave made them true believers, convincing them that what they had beheld was truly the Son of God, the Messiah.

After this encounter they knew they had two roads back to their own country. One road would lead to destruction, and the other would lead to the Kingdom of God. The way to Herod would be the worldly path, for having met the Christ, there would have been no change in their own hearts, and they would have remained of the world. The other way was the way of Christ by which they could return to their own country as changed men. This narrow path to the Kingdom of God was revealed to them, for they had encountered the Saviour of the World.

We, too, face a twofold path, having met this Christ. One leads to destruction, and the other leads to the Kingdom. The first is the way of sinners, leading to Herod, while the other way leads to Christ, which allows us to return to our own country, as changed men. Let us turn away from the path to Herod, ruler of an earthly power, and travel to the everlasting dwelling of our heavenly country.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos: The monastic community wishes to thank the individuals who so generously contributed to the purchase of this beautiful, handmade, tabernacle from Greece. The final photo shows my reaction, after responding to Hieromonk Paul’s request for help in the altar. Father Martin was waiting for that photo op.

Our Period of Lenten Solitude

Given the Coronavirus’ impact on the State of Washington, and Seattle in particular, we have decided to close the monastery for casual daily visitors until further notice. We will not be receiving overnight guests. Should you desire to meet with one of the monks for a particular spiritual need, we ask that you call the monastery before taking the ferry, and we’ll see about setting a time for your visit.

Since there is a tradition for monasteries to be closed during periods of time in Great Lent, this period will serve our monastery as the perfect opportunity for the monastic community to prepare for Pascha by entering into silence, while increasing our prayers for the world, and for an end to the pandemic that is plaguing the world.

With love and blessings,
Abbot Tryphon

Let us all join together in reciting the following prayer each and every day, until this pandemic has come to an end:

“More than all others we have sinned against Thee and we have transgressed, O Master, and if we have not acquired repentance instead of repentance accept our offering. And having set Thyself to mercy, as Thou art almighty, free Thy servants from death bearing sickness and grievous afflictions, groaning in pain we pray Thee, quickly hearken and have mercy.”

“We have sinned and we have transgressed, and therefore Thy righteous anger has visited us, O Lord, our God; and the darkness of death has encompassed us and we have drawn nigh unto the gates of Hades. But, with compunction, we cry out unto Thee, our God, in our infirmities: Spare, O spare Thy people, and destroy us not utterly, humbly we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.”

“O Lord, Who rules by life and by death: do Thou not enclose the souls of Thy servants in death, but turn aside from wrath and forsake anger, for our days vanish like smoke, and our strength has wasted away, and we are perishing utterly because of our sins. Be Thou merciful unto Thy servants who are repenting with tears, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.”

Friday March 13, 2020 / February 29, 2020
Second Week of the Great Lent. Tone five.
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Venerable John Cassian the Roman, abbot (435).
Venerable John, called Barsanuphius, of Nitria in Egypt (5th c.).
Martyr Theoctyrist [Theostyrictus] (8th C).
“Devpeteruv” (1392) Icon of the Mother of God.
The Monk Leo, Cappadocian Monastic.
Venerable Cassian, recluse and faster of the Kiev Caves (12th c.).
St. Oswald, archbishop of York (992) (Celtic & British).
St. Germanus of Dacia Pontica (Dobrogea, Romania) (5th c.) (Romania).
St. Theosterictus the Confessor, abbot of Pelecete Monastery near Prusa (826).
St. Cassian of Mu Lake Hermitage, disciple of St. Alexander of Svir (16th c.).
St. Meletius, archbishop of Kharkov (1840).

The Scripture Readings

Isaiah 7:1-15

Isaiah Sent to King Ahaz

7 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it. 2 And it was told to the house of David, saying, “Syria’s forces are deployed in Ephraim.” So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind.

3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller’s Field, 4 and say to him: ‘Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you, saying, 6 “Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel”— 7 thus says the Lord God:

“It shall not stand,
Nor shall it come to pass.
8 For the head of Syria is Damascus,
And the head of Damascus is Rezin.
Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be [g]broken,
So that it will not be a people.
9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
And the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son.
If you will not believe,
Surely you shall not be established.” ’ ”

The Immanuel Prophecy

10 Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; [h]ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”

12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”

13 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. 15 Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.

Genesis 5:32-6:8

32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The Wickedness and Judgment of Man

6 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Proverbs 6:20-7:1

Beware of Adultery

20 My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you roam, they will lead you;
When you sleep, they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 To keep you from the evil woman,
From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
26 For by means of a harlot
A man is reduced to a crust of bread;
And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

30 People do not despise a thief
If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold;
He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding;
He who does so destroys his own soul.
33 Wounds and dishonor he will get,
And his reproach will not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy is a husband’s fury;
Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will accept no recompense,
Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.

The Wiles of a Harlot

7 My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.