The Very. Rev. Abbot Tryphon
is Igumen of All-Merciful Saviour Monastery on Vashon Island, Washington. Situated in the heart of a beautiful forest, surrounded by the Salish Sea, the monastery is reached by ferry from either Seattle, or Tacoma, Washington.
Isolation does not have to be a part of our world The Church is the Body of Christ and by Her very nature is anything but an institution wherein one can be isolated from others. We only let it be so if we fail to involve ourselves as the people of God, with one another. The greeting given by Orthodox…
The acquisition of wisdom does not necessarily come with age It has been said that wisdom comes with age, and to some degree this is quite true. I’ve often had conversations with old college friends about how nice it would have been to have had the knowledge and wisdom we have now, back when we were young. Knowing what we…
Our gospel centered response to the evil that would destroy our world No matter what the times, no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the context or dynamic an Orthodox Christian finds themselves in, above all we are called to be an Orthodox Christian. We are Christ’s children first and foremost, and then we are members of various places,…
Climate change is a reality that is ignored to our peril We of the twenty-first century have given ourselves over to consuming addictions more than any time in history. Even a casual look at how we live our lives makes it abundantly clear that we are so caught up in our addictions that we can’t even begin to notice that…
Our enemies are not armies, but demons Many people are convinced we are living in the end times. They look to changes in the earth’s climate, ever more disastrous storms and the failing economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the political upheaval in our land, as signs of the end times. Coupled with the increase in terrorist…
Religious liberty has fast become a disfavored right As Christians we all know that religious liberty and free speech are imperiled, what with the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, and the censorship of differing views by many of our large social media companies. Supreme Court Justice Alito, said censorship has “resulted in previously unimaginable restrictions on individual liberty” and whatever people believe…
True repentance must culminate in the Sacrament of Confession Confession is a God-given commandment, and it is one of the Sacraments of our Church. Confession must never become a formal, habitual, and unprepared act, coming forth from a sense of duty or obligation. Nor can we allow our confession to be nothing beyond some sort of psychological relief.  Our confession…
Without suffering the cross cannot be embraced In comparison to eternity, the trials we suffer in this life are but a blip on the meter. Many are suffering job loss, illnesses, mortgage foreclosures, and all kinds of strife and hardships. Yet if we look at all these difficulties in light of eternity, this time of trial is nothing. “For I…
The preeminence of love Obedience is a central theme throughout the history of salvation. Without obedience to God’s commandments, there can be no salvation, for the nous (the eye of the soul) must be healed before we can be made whole. The role of obedience is so central, in fact, that submission to God’s will must take place before the…
The Gospel of Christ, and the political situation of our nation We dare not reduce the Gospel of Christ to a battle between political and social issues that potentially alienate many to the message of redemption. The world around us has become hostile to whatever the Church has to say, and has made even the most basic of Christianity’s values…
Our Faith without good works is dead The very moment faith enters the soul is that moment when we turn toward God in repentance and recognize we can not live without Him. As we grow in our faith we come to realize we must remain in a continual state of repentance, for grace abounds in the heart of the man…
