| A Defeatist Attitude | ||||||
A Defeatist Attitude is a Prescription for Defeat
As
Christians we must believe that our ultimate welfare is in the hands of
God and recognized that our life, although filled with many
difficulties and struggles, is a journey of anticipation to the Eternal
Life that is to come. Because this journey is not without sorrow and
pain, worry and anxiety, it is easy to surrender to a defeatist
attitude, and act as though we have no hope.
Our attitude, and even our speech, reflect on the health of our soul, and should be a key sign as to the wellness of our heart. If we are prone to complaining about our lives, or complaining about those around us, it is unlikely we will be prepared to choose a positive direction when the choice is before us.
The way we relate to others has an affect on their lives, and ours. If we make an effort to be positive, and live our lives with hope and faith, those around us profit, and everyone becomes healthy in spirit and in heart. Giving ourselves over to anxiety and fear does nothing but bring us down, and it pulls those around us down as well. Allowing ourselves to speak negatively does nothing to promote well-being, and can in fact be the cause of a worsening situation. Approaching life with a defeatist attitude is a surefire way of being defeated in the end.
The great King Solomon said, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under Heaven: A time to keep silence, and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7)". Negative speech contributes nothing to the heart but death. Receiving everything that comes our way with joy is the only way to bring about the healing of the heart. Negative speech is a reflection of a heart that is in need of healing, but joyful speech is like water for a thirsty plant that brings forth fruit for all around.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Our attitude, and even our speech, reflect on the health of our soul, and should be a key sign as to the wellness of our heart. If we are prone to complaining about our lives, or complaining about those around us, it is unlikely we will be prepared to choose a positive direction when the choice is before us.
The way we relate to others has an affect on their lives, and ours. If we make an effort to be positive, and live our lives with hope and faith, those around us profit, and everyone becomes healthy in spirit and in heart. Giving ourselves over to anxiety and fear does nothing but bring us down, and it pulls those around us down as well. Allowing ourselves to speak negatively does nothing to promote well-being, and can in fact be the cause of a worsening situation. Approaching life with a defeatist attitude is a surefire way of being defeated in the end.
The great King Solomon said, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under Heaven: A time to keep silence, and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7)". Negative speech contributes nothing to the heart but death. Receiving everything that comes our way with joy is the only way to bring about the healing of the heart. Negative speech is a reflection of a heart that is in need of healing, but joyful speech is like water for a thirsty plant that brings forth fruit for all around.
"For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me (Job 3:25)."
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Sunday September 9, 2012 / August 27, 2012
14th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone five.
Synaxis of all saints of Nizhny Novgorod (movable holiday on the Sunday after August 26th).
Venerable Poemen the Great (450).
New Hieromartyrs Priests Michael Voskresensky and Stephen Nemkov, and those with them, of Nizhni-Novgorod (1918).
New Hieromartyrs John, John priest and Hieromartyr Methodius (1937).
New Hieromartyr Aleksander, priest (1939).
New Hieromartyr Vladimir, priest (1940).
St. Demetrius confessor, priest (1952).
Venerables Pimen, Kuksha, and Nicon of the Kiev Caves (1114).
St. Hosius (Osia) the Confessor, bishop of Cordova (4th c.).
St. Liberius, pope of Rome (366).
Venerable Poemen of Palestine (605).
Martyr Anthusa.
Venerable Sabbas of Benephali.
Great-martyr Phanurius the Newly Appeared of Rhodes (Greek).
Translation of the relics of Sts. Theognostus, Cyprian, and Photius, metropolitans of Moscow (1479).
St. Caesarius, bishop of Aries (543) (Celtic & British).
Martyr-hermit Decuman of Watchet.
Martyr Djan Darada, the Ethiopian eunuch of Queen Candace.
Venerable Poemen the Great (450).
New Hieromartyrs Priests Michael Voskresensky and Stephen Nemkov, and those with them, of Nizhni-Novgorod (1918).
New Hieromartyrs John, John priest and Hieromartyr Methodius (1937).
New Hieromartyr Aleksander, priest (1939).
New Hieromartyr Vladimir, priest (1940).
St. Demetrius confessor, priest (1952).
Venerables Pimen, Kuksha, and Nicon of the Kiev Caves (1114).
St. Hosius (Osia) the Confessor, bishop of Cordova (4th c.).
St. Liberius, pope of Rome (366).
Venerable Poemen of Palestine (605).
Martyr Anthusa.
Venerable Sabbas of Benephali.
Great-martyr Phanurius the Newly Appeared of Rhodes (Greek).
Translation of the relics of Sts. Theognostus, Cyprian, and Photius, metropolitans of Moscow (1479).
St. Caesarius, bishop of Aries (543) (Celtic & British).
Martyr-hermit Decuman of Watchet.
Martyr Djan Darada, the Ethiopian eunuch of Queen Candace.
You can read the life of the saint in green, by click on the name.
THANK
YOU, to all of you who have been able to contribute towards the support
of the monastery. These difficult times of economic hardship have
impacted the monastery, and those of you who have been able to donate,
have been our lifeline. May God bless you for your generosity, and
kindness.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
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
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA
2 Corinthians 1:21-2:4
21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
23 Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. 24 Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.
2 But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?
23 Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. 24 Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.
2 But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?
Forgive the Offender
3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.Matthew 22:1-14
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
22 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
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