Traversing the Internet
Be careful how you use the Internet
Yesterday I received an email from a young man who asked why I was
stooping to raising money for the monastery by allowing ads to appear
with my blog, The Morning Offering. I had absolutely no idea what
he was talking about, but the fact that some of the ads were from
"dating services" was especially alarming to me. A quick call to a
number of people who read my blog every day, confirmed what I had
suspected. The young man had likely been previously searching a dating
site, and so his coming up on his computer. These advertisements were
speaking to his "issues," and NOT coming from my blog.
If Christians are to use the Internet, all care must be made to keep our browsers from becoming compromised. More important, we must visit nothing on the Internet that would compromise our own spiritual welfare. There is much to profit the soul through the use of the Internet, such as the wealth of the Church Fathers that is available to us through the simple act of using the Google search engine. We can watch inspiring films on the Holy Mountain of Athos, simply by searching utube. We can communicate with our loved ones, without cost, by using Skype or Facetime, seeing and hearing them in real time. We can even use a few remembered words from the Holy Scriptures, and find the exact quote, together with Bible book and passage.
Yet, with all that is available to us, there is also the dark side of the Internet. Pornography, atheistic tirades against Christianity, on-line movies that are a complete waste of our time, and endless hours sitting in front of a computer that would be better served in real, personal communication with our family and friends. On line video games that consume precious time that could be better spent going fishing with a friend, or attending a baseball game, and enjoying time with your family.
I am bringing this to the attention of my readers because this on line ministry, which I have been putting my heart and soul into for many years, is a work of love. There is no way I would ever stoop to crass commercialism while imparting the truths of our Orthodox Faith, or trying, in my feeble way, to impart spiritual nourishment for so many wonderful people.
Finally, my pledge to all of you is this: I will continue to write this daily blog for as long as God gives me the strength, and I will always try, with the help of Christ, to write nothing that would compromise the teachings of the Orthodox Church, nor write anything that is in conflict with the Holy Scriptures.
To God be all glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
If Christians are to use the Internet, all care must be made to keep our browsers from becoming compromised. More important, we must visit nothing on the Internet that would compromise our own spiritual welfare. There is much to profit the soul through the use of the Internet, such as the wealth of the Church Fathers that is available to us through the simple act of using the Google search engine. We can watch inspiring films on the Holy Mountain of Athos, simply by searching utube. We can communicate with our loved ones, without cost, by using Skype or Facetime, seeing and hearing them in real time. We can even use a few remembered words from the Holy Scriptures, and find the exact quote, together with Bible book and passage.
Yet, with all that is available to us, there is also the dark side of the Internet. Pornography, atheistic tirades against Christianity, on-line movies that are a complete waste of our time, and endless hours sitting in front of a computer that would be better served in real, personal communication with our family and friends. On line video games that consume precious time that could be better spent going fishing with a friend, or attending a baseball game, and enjoying time with your family.
I am bringing this to the attention of my readers because this on line ministry, which I have been putting my heart and soul into for many years, is a work of love. There is no way I would ever stoop to crass commercialism while imparting the truths of our Orthodox Faith, or trying, in my feeble way, to impart spiritual nourishment for so many wonderful people.
Finally, my pledge to all of you is this: I will continue to write this daily blog for as long as God gives me the strength, and I will always try, with the help of Christ, to write nothing that would compromise the teachings of the Orthodox Church, nor write anything that is in conflict with the Holy Scriptures.
To God be all glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Monday September 10, 2012 / August 28, 2012
15th Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Venerable Moses the Black of Scete (400).
Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Job of Pochaev (1651).
New Martyrs Archimandrite Sergius (Zaytsev) and monks of Zilantov Monastery of Kazan (1918) hieromonks Laurecnce (Nikitin), Seraphim (Kuz'min), hierodeacon Theodosius (Alexandrov), monks Leontius (Kariagin), Stephen, brothers Gregory (Timofeev), Hylarion (Pravdin), John (Sretensky), Sergius (Galin) (1918).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1931).
New Hieromartyr Basil priest (1937).
Synaxis of the Saints of the Kiev Caves whose relics repose in the Far Cave of Venerable Theodosius.
Venerable Sabbas, abbot of Krypetsk (1495).
Righteous Anna the Prophetess and Daughter of Phanuel, who met the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem (1st c.).
Martyr Queen Shushaniki (Susanna) of Georgia (475) (Georgia).
St. Amphilochius, bishop of Vladimir, Volhynia (1122).
Righteous Hezekiah, king of Judah (691 B.C.).
Venerable Theodore (Monk Theodosius of the Kiev Caves), prince of Ostrog (1483).
New Hieromartyr Chrysostom, metropolitan of Smyrna (1922) (Greek).
33 Martyrs of Nicomedia (Greek).
Martyrs Diomedes and Laurence (Greek).
Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Job of Pochaev (1651).
New Martyrs Archimandrite Sergius (Zaytsev) and monks of Zilantov Monastery of Kazan (1918) hieromonks Laurecnce (Nikitin), Seraphim (Kuz'min), hierodeacon Theodosius (Alexandrov), monks Leontius (Kariagin), Stephen, brothers Gregory (Timofeev), Hylarion (Pravdin), John (Sretensky), Sergius (Galin) (1918).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1931).
New Hieromartyr Basil priest (1937).
Synaxis of the Saints of the Kiev Caves whose relics repose in the Far Cave of Venerable Theodosius.
Venerable Sabbas, abbot of Krypetsk (1495).
Righteous Anna the Prophetess and Daughter of Phanuel, who met the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem (1st c.).
Martyr Queen Shushaniki (Susanna) of Georgia (475) (Georgia).
St. Amphilochius, bishop of Vladimir, Volhynia (1122).
Righteous Hezekiah, king of Judah (691 B.C.).
Venerable Theodore (Monk Theodosius of the Kiev Caves), prince of Ostrog (1483).
New Hieromartyr Chrysostom, metropolitan of Smyrna (1922) (Greek).
33 Martyrs of Nicomedia (Greek).
Martyrs Diomedes and Laurence (Greek).
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
Galatians 2:11-16
No Return to the Law
11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for
before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but
when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who
were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in
Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be
justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the
works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Mark 5:24-34
24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”
32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But
the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her,
came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
I invite my readers to listen to my Ancient Faith Radio podcasts.
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