The Church Calendar
The Church Calendar and spiritual maturation
One of the most spiritually profitable discoveries for
me, personally, was when I started, as a new Orthodox Christian, the observance
of the liturgical calendar. Each day of the year I was carried along with the
cycle of commemorations that brought to life various events in the life of
Christ. The calendar provided me with daily scripture readings that quenched my
thirst. The historical memory of the Church, lived out in the various periods
of fasts and feasts, allowed me to experience a Christianity that was vibrant
and meaningful.
An important element in the calendar, I discovered,
was the daily commemorations of Christian saints and martyrs. These saints came
alive with each day's offering, allowing me a chance to emulate in my own life
the lives of those who'd already won the battle, acquiring holiness in the
Lord. It was the daily commemoration of the saints that allowed me to remember
the mystical connection between the Church Militant here on earth and the
Church Triumphant in heaven.
Just as a general of the army studies the military
maneuvers of past generals in preparation for leading his men into battle, so
can I study the saints who've triumphed in spiritual warfare. If I want to
struggle more faithfully in my own spiritual quest to deepen my love for God, I
need look no further than the lives of the saints to find inspiration.
With love in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: The Monastery's library and common room.
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