The most difficult commandment Christ gave to His disciples was surely the one that we must love our enemies. If we translate that directive into the simple task of being nice to the crabby old man next door, we will have missed the point. Jesus said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44)." Easy? No. Possible? Yes! "And Jesus looking upon them said, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27).' "

Whom do we see when we look into the face of another? It is Christ! It is either Christ glorified, or Christ crucified. That we have all been created in the image and likeness of God, means that we are all His children, and therefore brothers and sisters to one another. That some of our brothers and sisters have chosen to be our enemies does in no way lessen the truth that we are all the children of Eve, charged by Christ to love each other. If we be of Christ, we must follow His commandments.

All said, I don't always feel safe in my monastery, for I've been threatened numerous times with death following essays I've written about Islam. I do not believe we should simply open our gates for Islamic Jihadists posing as refugees, bent on destroying Western Civilization and whatever is left of Christianity in this country. I do, however, believe that we are called by Christ to love our enemies, even those who wish to kill us. I therefore pray for the conversion of those who have entered our land - that they come to know Jesus Christ - just as I pray for the conversion to Christ of our own people, who have increasingly turned their backs on faith in God, embracing atheism, secularism, materialism, and all other godless pursuits.

Love in Christ,


Abbot Tryphon