Thursday
June 16, 2011 / June 3, 2011
Afterfeast of Pentecost.
Tone seven.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
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).Martyr Lucillian and those with him at Byzantium: four youths — Claudius, Hypatius, Paul, and Dionysius; and Virgin Paula (270).
New Hieromartyr Cyprian (1934).New Hieromartyr Michael priest (1938).
Translation of the relics (1606) of the slain Crown Prince Demetrius of Moscow (1591).Hieromartyr Lucian the bishop, Maxianus the presbyter, Julian the deacon and Martyrs Marcellinus and Saturninus in Belgium (96).Venerable Athanasius, the wonderworker of Cilicia.The Meeting of Venerable Demetrius, monk of Priluki (Vologda) (1503)."Yougskaya" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (1615).St. Hieria, widow, of Mesopotamia (312).St. Clotilde (Chlotilda), queen of France (545) (Gaul).Venerable Kevin, hermit and abbot of Glendalough (618) (Celtic & British).St. Meriasek, bishop of Camborne.Venerable Pappus monk (Greek).St. Achilles, patriarch of Alexandria (312).Monk-martyr Barsabus, abbot of Ishtar, and ten companions in Persia (342).New Hieromartyr Joseph, metropolitan of Thessalonica (1821).Words from the Abbot:
In monasticism a monk weeps during the night over his sins that he might rejoice during the day. He knows that there is a danger in emphasizing God's all loving nature to the exclusion of His righteous wrath. Our life in Christ must be one of balance between rejoicing and repenting. We approach God with fear and trembling, not because He is an angry god, but because He is a righteous God Who asks that we keep His commandments. We trust in God's grace because we need strong medicine to balance out our sinful and rebellious nature.
Within the self there is a battle being waged between good and evil and we endanger our soul if we start to treat God as though He were a sweet old grandpa who will love us regardless of what we do. His love does reign supreme, but so does His righteousness. He desires to transform our fallen nature and share His divinity with us, His creatures. Our response to His love must be in the form of a humble and a contrite heart.
In Christ we exchange our identity and become one with Him and new creatures, saying with Saint Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ in me." (Galatians 2:20)
Within the self there is a battle being waged between good and evil and we endanger our soul if we start to treat God as though He were a sweet old grandpa who will love us regardless of what we do. His love does reign supreme, but so does His righteousness. He desires to transform our fallen nature and share His divinity with us, His creatures. Our response to His love must be in the form of a humble and a contrite heart.
In Christ we exchange our identity and become one with Him and new creatures, saying with Saint Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ in me." (Galatians 2:20)
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos of the Day:
A beautiful day at the monastery.
Scripture Readings for the Day:
Romans 1:28-2:9
28 And 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; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, 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.
Romans 2
God’s Righteous Judgment
1 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. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And 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? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But 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, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation 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.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If 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. 30 And 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.’ 32 But 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.
Click photo to enlarge.
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