The Gospel of Christ vs. the Message of Hate
Today I will be joining other Orthodox clergy of the Puget Sound region, serving the funeral of Gloria Leonidas. Gloria was murdered in cold blood, shot in the head by a deranged man in downtown Seattle. He was the same man who had murdered four other people a short time earlier, in a University District cafe.
Because the legislators of Washington State have approved same-sex marriage, members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, are planning to protest outside the funeral of Gloria. These are the deranged individuals who have been picketing military funerals with signs that say soldiers are dying because “God hates Fags”. These people believe in a god that is vengeful, filled with hate, and who is punishing innocent people because our nation has become tolerant towards homosexuals. These are the same people who have been holding forth signs with messages that read “Thank God for breast cancer”, “Thank God for dead soldiers”, and “America is doomed”.
These people are to be pitied, for they are serving the same demon as did the killer of the innocent five people. I can not begin to imagine what life must be like for the minister and members of Westboro Baptist. How could one be happy, serving such a god? They have obviously not experienced the joy of a relationship with Jesus Christ, nor have they experienced the love and forgiveness of our Merciful Saviour, Who taught us never to judge anyone. They are to be pitied.
I ask you to remember Gloria in your prayers, and pray for her grieving family and friends. And, in your charity, pray for the lost souls of Westboro Baptist Church, that their darkened hearts may be opened wide to the Light of Christ.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: Lutheran Pastor John-Otto Liljenstolpe, Jim Forest of Amsterdam, founder of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship, together with Abbot Tryphon.
Thursday June 7, 2012
Afterfeast of Pentecost. Tone seven.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Surety of Sinners” in Korets (1622) (movable holiday on Thursday of the 1-st week of the Pentecost).
Third Finding of the Precious Head of St. John the Baptist (850).
Virgin-Martyr Helen (1938).
New Hieromartyr Tavrion (1939).
St. Innocent archbishop of Cherson (1857).
Hieromartyr Therapon, bishop of Cyprus (4th c.).
St. Dodo, prince of Georgia (6th c.).
Synaxis of Saints of Volhynia: Saints Yaropolk, Stephen, Macarius, Igor and Juliana.
Commemoration of the reunion of 3,000,000 Uniates with the Orthodox Church at Vilna in 1831.
Martyrs Pasicrates, Valentinian, Julius and others at Dorostolum (302).
St. Aldehelm, bishop of Sherborne.
Martyr Celestine (Greek).
St. Olbian, monk (Greek).
You can read the life of the saint in green, by click on the name.
Our thanks and gratitude to all of you who have contributed to the monastery through your generous contributions. May God richly bless you for your kindness, and support, of this monastery.
With love and blessings,
Abbot Tryphon
Romans 1:28-2:9
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
Matthew 5:27-32
Adultery in the Heart
27“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Marriage Is Sacred and Binding
31“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.