Gratitude
A Grateful Heart is Fertile Ground
When you strive to interact with members of your family, with friends,
coworkers, and all others, with respect, humility, and dignity, you lay
the groundwork for the abundance of Grace needed to quicken your heart
for the things of God. The soil is prepared for the planting of seeds
that allow you to respond to God's grace, for a grateful heart is
fertile ground for the things of God.
When you open your heart to others,
with gratitude, the path is prepared for a relationship with Jesus
Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will fill you with the
power to live a life that is transformed by God's Grace. You will be
filled with heartfelt gratitude for all God's gifts, and inner peace
will be yours.
The preparation for sowing the
seeds of the love of God, begin with responsive gratefulness. The
Apostle Paul writes, "Remember, it is not you that
holds up the root, but the root that holds you up (Rom. 11:18)." Any
relationship with God, must begin with a grateful heart, and is
cultivated by kindness, and goodwill towards others. When you are
grateful you respond toward God
and others by enacting other virtues.
The constant and cultivated feeling
of deep appreciation and
heartfelt gratitude for others, quickens the soul to feel the inner need
to freely and thankfully respond to God's invitation to commune with
Him.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Abbot Tryphon
Saturday January 4, 2014 / December 22, 2013
28th Week after Pentecost. Tone two.
Nativity (St. Philip's Fast). Food with Oil
Nativity (St. Philip's Fast). Food with Oil
Saturday the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ
Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
Great-martyr Anastasia of Rome, deliverer from bonds, and her teacher Martyr Chrysogonus, and with them martyrs Theodota, Evodias, Eutychianus, and others who suffered under Diocletian (304).
New Hieromartyrs Demetrius and Theodore priests (1938).
Martyr Zoilus (Greek).
Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ.
Great-martyr Anastasia of Rome, deliverer from bonds, and her teacher Martyr Chrysogonus, and with them martyrs Theodota, Evodias, Eutychianus, and others who suffered under Diocletian (304).
New Hieromartyrs Demetrius and Theodore priests (1938).
Martyr Zoilus (Greek).
You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted 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
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
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
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
Ephesians 1:16-23
16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you
the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling,
what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far
above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Luke 16:10-15
10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom
14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
I invite my readers to listen to my
Ancient Faith Radio podcasts:
http://ancientfaith.com/podcas
Ancient Faith Radio podcasts:
http://ancientfaith.com/podcas
Just wanted to let you know that this Lutheran (LCMS) likes reading your blog. You write about very important topics in an easy understand way. There are some Orthodox and Lutheran authors that can be very hard for me to get what they are talking about.
ReplyDeleteThank you!