Fleeting Joy
The Bitterness of Fleeting Joy
We all have certain things in our lives
that we feel passionate about. When I was a young man, long distance
running was my passion, and nothing gave me more joy than the run.
Every day was organized around running. I'd even plan vacations around
my runs, often heading to Vancouver, B.C., so I could run around Stanley
Park. I'd stay in a cheap hotel near the park, figuring the room was
needed for sleeping only, so why waste money on a nice hotel. Every
morning and evening, I'd be out for a run around that magnificent park,
spending the rest of the day touring around the city on foot. When
teaching, I'd usually take a two hour lunch break, spent almost entirely
running. I'd run to work and run home. Friends just had to learn that
any time spent with me was likely to be scheduled around a run.
A few years ago I had hip replacement surgery, with my surgeon suggesting I'd likely worn down the hip during all those years of pounding my hip had taken. I sometimes have a flood of memories return when seeing someone running along the roads and trails of Vashon Island. A friend once asked me if I felt any bitterness over the fact that I can no longer run and that age has slowed me down. My answer was that the memories were still with me, the joy of running having been replaced by the joy of my life in Christ. The only regret I have is that it took me so long to discover the depth of joy that could be found in Christ, and how fleeting worldly joy can be.
If I could I would still run. But like all of life, some things are meant to be of a temporal nature, confined to this world. The things of God's Kingdom, are meant to be eternal and can be, and indeed should be, central to this life we are living in the now!
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
A few years ago I had hip replacement surgery, with my surgeon suggesting I'd likely worn down the hip during all those years of pounding my hip had taken. I sometimes have a flood of memories return when seeing someone running along the roads and trails of Vashon Island. A friend once asked me if I felt any bitterness over the fact that I can no longer run and that age has slowed me down. My answer was that the memories were still with me, the joy of running having been replaced by the joy of my life in Christ. The only regret I have is that it took me so long to discover the depth of joy that could be found in Christ, and how fleeting worldly joy can be.
If I could I would still run. But like all of life, some things are meant to be of a temporal nature, confined to this world. The things of God's Kingdom, are meant to be eternal and can be, and indeed should be, central to this life we are living in the now!
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
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| Click on photos to enlarge. |
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| I took this aerial photo of the monastery yesterday. |
Wednesday May 30, 2012 / May 17, 2012
Afterfeast of the Ascension. Tone six.
Fast. Fish Allowed
Fast. Fish Allowed
Venerable Dodo of the St. David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia (596) (movable holiday on the Wednesday of Holy Ascension).
Apostle Andronicus of the Seventy and his fellow laborer Junia (1st c.).
Venerable Euphrosyne (Princess Eudocia) of Moscow (1407).
Martyrs Solochon, Pamphamer, and Pamphalon at Chalcedon (298).
St. Stephen, archbishop of Constantinople (893).
Translation of the relics (1551) of Venerable Adrian, abbot of Ondrusov (Valaam) (1549).
St. Melangell, virgin hermitess of Wales (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Venerables Nectarius (1550) and Theophanes (1544) of Meteora (Greek).
Venerable Athanasius the New, wonderworker of Christianopolis (18th c.) (Greek).
Great-martyr Nicholas of Sophia (1555).
St. Jonah Atamansk, priest of Odessa (1924).
You can read the life of the saint in green, by click on the name.
Apostle Andronicus of the Seventy and his fellow laborer Junia (1st c.).
Venerable Euphrosyne (Princess Eudocia) of Moscow (1407).
Martyrs Solochon, Pamphamer, and Pamphalon at Chalcedon (298).
St. Stephen, archbishop of Constantinople (893).
Translation of the relics (1551) of Venerable Adrian, abbot of Ondrusov (Valaam) (1549).
St. Melangell, virgin hermitess of Wales (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Venerables Nectarius (1550) and Theophanes (1544) of Meteora (Greek).
Venerable Athanasius the New, wonderworker of Christianopolis (18th c.) (Greek).
Great-martyr Nicholas of Sophia (1555).
St. Jonah Atamansk, priest of Odessa (1924).
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
Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA
With love and blessings,
Abbot Tryphon
Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA
Acts 23:1-11
23 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”
5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. 8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. 9 Then
there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party
arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a
spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”
10 Now
when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul
might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and
take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
The Plot Against Paul
11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”
John 16:15-23
15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
Sorrow Will Turn to Joy
16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” 18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are
you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and
you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Most
assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world
will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned
into joy. 21 A
woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but
as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the
anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
I invite my readers to listen to my Ancient Faith Radio podcasts.
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