The Morning Offering

The Orthodox Church is evangelical, but not Protestant. It is orthodox, but not Jewish. It is catholic, but not Roman. It isn't non-denominational - it is pre-denominational. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended and died for the Faith of the Apostles since the Day of Pentecost 2000 years ago.

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!

The Morning Offering
Sunday, June 28 / June 15 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

June 15 / 28. Prophet Amos. St. Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow. Martyrs Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia at Lucania. Martyr Dulas of Cilicia. St. Jerome (Hieronymus) of Stridonium. St. Dulas the Passion-bearer of Egypt. St. Lazarus, prince of Serbia. Translation of the Relics of St. Theodore the Sykeote. St. Orsiesius of Tabenna, disciple of St. Pachomius the Great. Blessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. Saints Gregory and Cassian, abbots of Avnezhk (Vologda). St. Michael, first Metropolitan of Kiev. St. Symeon, Archbishop of Novgorod. St. Ephraim, Patriarch of Serbia. Martyr Leonis (Leonida) of Syria. St. Abraham, abbot of Auvergne (Gaul). (Greek Calendar: Apostles Fortunatus, Achaicus, and Stephen. Martyr Grace. St. Joseph, monk of Bethlehem.) Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos 'Marianica'. Repose of Jonah, fool-for-Christ of Peshnosha Monastery (1838).

Photo of the Day:

The monastery as seen from the southeastern section of our forest. We've named the forest, "Saint Seraphim's Wood". (click to enlarge)

Thought for the Day:

"Pride is a most abominable sin, but hardly anyone recognizes it since it is hidden deep in the heart. Not knowing one's self is the beginning of pride. This ignorance blinds a man, and thus he becomes full of pride. O that man would know himself! He would know his own misfortune, poverty, and wretchedness; he would never become full of pride. But man is so wretched that he does not see and know his misfortune and wretchedness."

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Romans 5:1-10

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

 ¹ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Christ in Our Place

⁶ For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Matthew 6:22-33

The Lamp of the Body

²² "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

²⁴ "No one 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.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
²⁸ "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
³¹ "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.