Confession
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| Hybridized Hydrangea called Angel Eyes |
In Confession we Humble Ourselves
before Another Person
before Another Person
It is only out of delusion we believe we do not need others to see, understand, and treat our spiritual sickness. Anyone who believes that he alone can cure his spiritual diseases has isolated himself from a Mystery of the Church and will come to ruin. Only with the help of others are we saved, for within the Christian faith, salvation comes not in a self-focused void, but in the collective nature that is the Church. The Mystery of Confession, established by Our Lord, is a clear sign of the biblical truth that we need the Church, and we need the Mystery of Confession.
In confession we do not simply regret past evil but recognize the darkened vision of our own condition, in which sin, by separating us from God, has reduced us to a divided, autonomous existence, depriving us of both our natural glory and our true freedom. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
The Sacrament of Confession is important because on it constitutes the cure of spiritual illness. Since the goal of the Christian life is transformation in Christ, ridding ourselves of the corrupt and diseased fallen self, it must begin with the death of the ego. We humble ourselves before the priest, when we confess our sins, for it is not just that Christ hears us. Christ hears us because of our act of humility in baring our souls in front of another person. Thus, Scripture establishes confession, recounts Christ's gift of authority to the Apostles and their successors to bestow forgiveness to penitents, and exhorts us to confess even to one another (James 5:16), since through one another we achieve humility and, mystically, this joins us to Christ.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Saturday August 10, 2013 / July 28, 2013
7th Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Appearance of the "Smolensk" "Directress" Icon of the Mother of God brought from Constantinople in 1046.
Holy Apostles of the Seventy and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas (1st c.).
St. Pitirim, bishop of Tambov (1698).
Synaxis of All Saints of Tambov.
New Hieromartyr Nicholas deacon (1918).
New Hieromartyr Basil, Virgin-martyrs Anastasia and Hellen, Martyrs Aretha, John, John, John amd Virgin-martyr Mavra (1937).
New Hieromartyr Ignatius of Jablechna (Chelm and Podlasie, Poland) (1942).
Venerable Moses, wonderworker of the Kiev Caves (14th c.).
Martyr Julian of Dalmatia (2nd c.), Martyr Eustathius (Eustace) the Soldier of Ancyra (316) and Martyr Acacius of Apamea (321).
Venerable Paul of Xeropotamou, Mt. Athos (820).
"Grebensk" (1380), "Kostroma" (1672) and "Umileniye" ("of Tender Feeling") (1885) of Diveyevo, before which St. Seraphim reposed.
Reverence list of an "Smolensk" Icon of the Mother of God: "Ustiuzh" (1290), "Vydropussk" (15th c.), "Voronin" (1524), "Xristopor" (16th c.), "Supralsk" (16th c.), "Yug" (1615), "Igritsky" (1624), "Shuysk" (1654-16-55), "Sedmiezersk" (17th c.), "Sergievsk" (Troitsk-Sergievsky Lavra) (1730).
"Tambov" (1692) Icon of the Mother of God.
Venerable Irene Chrysoyolantou of Cappadocia (912).
Venerables Ursus and Leobatius (Leubais), brother-abbots (500) (Gaul).
St. Samson, bishop of Dol in Brittany (565) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Christodoulos of Kassandra (1777) (Greek).
New Martyr Anastasius of Ancyra (1777) (Greek).
Venerable George of Mt. Athos, the Builder (1033) (Georgia). You can read the life of the saint in red, by clicking on the name.
THANKS 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
The Scripture Readings for the Day
Romans 12:1-3
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.Serve God with Spiritual Gifts
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.Matthew 10:37-11:1
37 He
who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who
loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
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