The Morning Offering

In High Gear

Slow me down, but not yet.

A young Saint Augustine is attributed to have prayed that God would slow him down, but not too soon. As many of my friends have observed over the past year, I have been driving myself at high speed. My average night of sleep has been no more than four or five hours. I'm often in my study after midnight posting my blog and up at 4:30 or 5 am for prayers. I'm running from university campus to to university campus, responding to 911 calls, counseling people in my office, cooking in the kitchen and more.

Members of my brotherhood have tried to get me to slow down and my two doctor friends have been telling me that a man my age can not continue to run at this fast pace.

About two months ago I started to experience pressure in my chest, followed by chills. I've also had shortness of breath and days of total exhaustion (I always thought denial was a river in Egypt). Tomorrow morning I enter the Poly Clinic in Seattle where I will undergo a day of extensive tests. My doctor suspects that the cardiologist will be placing stents in some of my veins. Or, perhaps there is more going on. Monday is the day of reckoning.

I covet your prayers. There are still so many things I want to accomplish, so many unfinished missions that have captured my heart. The invitation to do a PodCast for Ancient Faith Radio has me excited, and my blog The Morning Offering has had over 84 thousand hits. Reaching out to the world through facebook and utube videos has given me a new sense of purpose and I don't want to have this come to an end.

With the monastery's buildings completed, I want time to spend with my brother monks in deeper contemplative moments with the Lord, as community. I need more time to express, in writing, my gratitude to all of you who have helped us financially during these difficult times of economic hardship for the monastery. I want to be with my college students when the fall semester resumes. My bishops are planning to come to the monastery in the Spring and I want to be here to greet them. My brother is waiting for me in Northern Idaho, for a long planned bass fishing week.

I'm willing to slow down, get more sleep, manage my days and take better care of myself. By your holy prayers, I'm hoping the Lord will bless me with many more years to accomplish all of the above, and, most important, grant me many more years of repentance.

With love in Christ,

Abbot Tryphon

Abbot Tryphon's study

Monday August 22, 2011 / August 9, 2011

11^th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.

Dormition Fast. Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

Afterfeast of the Transfiguration.
Apostle Matthias (63).

Acts 1:12-17

The Upper Room Prayer Meeting

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. ¹³ And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Matthias Chosen

 

¹⁵ And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, ¹⁶ “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; ¹⁷ for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

Luke 9:1-6

 

Sending Out the Twelve 

 ¹ Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. ² He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³ And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.
⁴ “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. ⁵ And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
⁶ So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.