Witnessing Christ

Love and charity go a long way

Many years ago I was sitting in a Seattle coffee house, laptop open and working on correspondence. Two young college age men were sitting at a table about two feet away. One of them made a rude remark that was obviously meant for my ear. He suggested to his friend that only a stupid old man would believe in God. I smiled at them and continued to work on my laptop.

Before leaving the cafe I purchased two gift cards and asked the young woman to give it to the two young men sitting at the table next to mine, but only after I left. About two weeks later I again visited the cafe. There they were, the two young men. They both came to my table, asking if they could sit with me. I smiled broadly and said I would be delighted to have them join me.

One of the young men then asked me why I’d purchased gift cards for them when I’d obviously heard their slam against me. I told them that God had told me to buy them the gift cards and that the gifts were from God. One of the young men teared up and asked for my forgiveness. I told him I’d forgiven him the very moment he’d uttered those words because Christ loved them. How could I not love them if God loved them, I asked.

God gives all of us chances to show His love for people. Sometimes the most unlovable are the very ones who need signs of love the most. Who knows the difference a kind word or a smile can have on the life of an individual who is rude, or who is abusive.

The most difficult people to deal with are often the very people who need our love and kindness the most. The angry neighbor or coworker can be turned around by being treated with respect and love, regardless of their behavior. They are the people who need our prayers. God can change any heart, turning around the lives of the very worst people because of our prayers. Who are we to judge them? If God has placed them in our lives we must look for the reason. Perhaps they are there because we need to learn the lesson of forgiveness and charity. Do we deserve God’s love more than they?

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Wednesday December 16, 2020 / December 3, 2020
28th Week after Pentecost. Tone two.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Food with Oil
Prophet Zephaniah (Sophonias) (635 B.C.).
Venerable Sabbas, abbot of Zvenigorod, disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh (1406).
New Hieromartyr Andrew priest (1920).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1930).
St. Gregory confessor (1960).
Venerable Theodulus, eparch of Constantinople (440).
Venerable John the Silent of St. Sabbas’ monastery (558).
Hieromartyr Theodore, archbishop of Alexandria (606).
Venerable Gregory of Chernik (Romania).
New Hieromartyr Gabriel, bishop of Ganos (1659) (Greek).
St. Birinus, bishop of Dorchester (649-650) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Angelos of Chios (1813) (Greek).
Venerable Cosmas of St. Anne’s Skete, Mt. Athos.
St. Sola, Anglo-Saxon missionary priest under St. Boniface (790-794) (Germany).
St. Nicetius, bishop of Lyons (Gaul).
St. Lucius, king of Britain who requested missionaries for his people in A.D. 187.
Martyrs Agapius, Seleucus and Mamas (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

2 Timothy 4:9-22

The Abandoned Apostle

9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.

16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

The Lord Is Faithful

17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

Come Before Winter

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

21 Do your utmost to come before winter.

Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

Farewell

22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Luke 20:1-8

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

20 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 Thebaptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”