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
Thursday, July 23 / July 10 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

July 10 / 23. Holy 45 Martyrs at Nicopolis in Armenia, including Leontius, Maurice, Daniel, Anthony, Alexander, Anicetus, Sisinius, Meneus, and Belarad (Verelad). The Placing of the Precious Robe of the Lord at Moscow. St. Anthony of the Kiev Caves, founder of monasticism in Russia. Martyrs Bianor and Silvanus of Pisidia. Martyr Apollonius of Sardis. St. Basil, Bishop of Ryazan. 10,000 Fathers of the desert and caves of Scetis martryed by the impious Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria. Konevits Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Photo of the Day:

Preparation of the Holy Offering. (Click to enlarge)

Quote of the Day:

"A contemporary father used to tell us: If we put a young child in a pastry shop situated at the top of a ravine and open all the doors, there will be no danger that the child will go out of the shop and be killed, because his attention will be on the sweets. It is the same for the mind. It stays attached to what is sweetest to it. For this reason we should constantly exercise our minds spiritually."
An Athonite Gerontikon

Scripture Readings for the Day:

1 Corinthians 7:24-35

²⁴ Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.

To the Unmarried and Widows

²⁵ Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. ²⁶ I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.
²⁹ But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, ³⁰ those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, ³¹ and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.
³² But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. ³³ But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. ³⁴ There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. ³⁵ And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

Matthew 15:12-21

¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"
¹³ But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."
¹⁵ Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."
¹⁶ So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

A Gentile Shows Her Faith

²¹ Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.