Two Types of Work

The compartmentalization of work can wreak spiritual havoc

The compartmentalization of the work week can wreak havoc on the inner life. It is easier to keep your prayers, spiritual reading, and focus on Christ, reserved for the weekend. Like so many, you struggle to keep spiritually grounded while at work. So many jobs make it seem impossible to stay centered, spiritually, when you are surrounded by the office chatter, stress, gossip, and deadlines. With a boss pressing down on one side, and the worldly cares of coworkers hovering over your shoulder, you, like many Orthodox Christians, feel resigned to put on hold the things of God.

Many of today’s jobs require so much mental concentration, it can seem impossible to have even a fleeting moment with God. How does one keep your heart in Christ, when a coworker is standing in your cubicle, whispering the latest office gossip? Is it even possible to be centered, spiritually, when the boss is adding one more deadline to the pile? Can one stay focused in the heart when a coworker is taking credit for work you’ve done? Can you have a Christ-like love for others, when you are forced to watch work place backstabbers do their thing?

My purpose for writing this blog has, from the very beginning, been a labor of love for people just like you, struggling, as you are, to live Christian lives in settings that are anything but conducive to the inner life. From my monastic cell I pray for you, and try, in my meager way, to offer a small blessing for you, one that can help you get through your day, making progress on the Path to God, while mired in a spiritually hostile setting.

The daily photos, essays, biblical passages, and the posted lives of the saints, are all my offerings to you, so in those fleeting office moments, you can take a spiritual break, and be renewed. For those of you who are prevented from having religious items in your office, such as icons, you can visit my blog, and click on the green lettering found in the saints of the day, and more often than not, see the icon of a saint, together with their life story, pop up on that messy desk of yours (mine is messy).

I try to keep the topics of my daily essays relevant to your needs, but often fail, I’m sure. However I may fail in writing something inspiring, or uplifting, I still provide you with the daily scripture readings, and the lives of the saints. As well, I try to post photos that provide you with a little reprieve from the sameness of your work environment.

Even if you do not have access to a computer at your workplace, you can still take a few moments before you head off for the day, and read The Morning Offering. You can even download my Ancient Faith Radio podcasts, and listen to them while driving to work, or taking your morning run. Although I am not a theologian, nor a great spiritual father, it is my prayer that this little work of mine will be a blessing to you, helping you walk with Jesus Christ, this day.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Wednesday August 3, 2016 / July 21, 2016
7th Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Prophet Ezekiel (6th c. B.C.).
Venerable Symeon of Emesa, fool-for-Christ (590), and his fellow faster Venerable John.
New Hieromartyr Peter priest (1938).
New Hieromartyrs Simo Banjac and Milan Stojisavljevic and his son Martyr Milan of Glamoc, Serbia (1941-1945).
Venerable Onuphrius the Silent of the Kiev Caves (12th c.) and St. Onesimus, recluse of the Kiev Caves (13th c.).
Uncovering of the relics (1649) of Venerable Anna of Kashin (1337).
Martyr Victor of Marseilles.
Martyr Acacius of Constantinople. (Greek).
Venerable Eleutherius of “Dry Hill” (Greek).
St. Parthenius of Radovizlios, bishop (Greek).
St. Anna, mother of Venerable Sabbas the Serbian (Serbia).
Hieromartyr Zoticus of Comana in Armenia (204).
Martyrs Justus, Matthew, and Eugene of the 13 who suffered at Rome together with the Martyrs Trophimus and Theophilus (305).
Martyr Bargabdesian, deacon, at Arbela in Assyria (354)
St. Paul, bishop, and St. John, presbyter, ascetics near Edessa (5th c.).

Scripture Readings

1 Corinthians 7:12-24

12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. 16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

Live as You Are Called

17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. 18 Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. 22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.

Matthew 14:35-15:11

35 And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36 and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

Defilement Comes from Within

15 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’;  and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”