The Morning Offering

Living the evangelical life of Orthodox monasticism in witness to the salvific truth of the Gospels of Our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!

The Morning Offering
Saturday, October 3 / September 20 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

September 20 / October 3. Afterfeast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Great-Martyr Eustathius (Eustace) Placidas, his wife Mary Theopistes, and their children Martyrs Agapius and Theopistus, of Rome Holy Martyr and Confessor Michael and his councilor Theodore, Wonderworkers of Chernigov. St. Oleg, prince of Briansk. Martyr John the Confessor of Egypt, beheaded in Palestine, and with him 40 Martyrs. Saints Theodore and Euprepius and two named Anastasius, confessors and disciples of St. Maximus the Confessor. New-Martyr Hilarion of Crete (Mt. Athos). (Greek Calendar: Martyrs Artemidorus and Thallos. St. Meletius of Cyprus, Bishop of St. Kyr John of Crete, monk.)

Photo of the Day:
 
(click to enlarge)

Quote of the Day:

"God does not hide Himself from man. A sinful man hides from God, hides until he can see Him no more."
St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Scripture Readings for the Day:

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Glory Only in the Lord

²⁶ For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence.

1 Corinthians 14:20-25

Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers

²⁰ Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
²¹ In the law it is written:


      " With men of other tongues and other lips
      I will speak to this people;
      And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,"

   says the Lord.
²² Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. ²³ Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? ²⁴ But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. ²⁵ And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

John 8:21-30

Jesus Predicts His Departure

²¹ Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come."
²² So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'?"
²³ And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. ²⁴ Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
²⁵ Then they said to Him, "Who are You?"
And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. ²⁶ I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."
²⁷ They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
²⁸ Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. ²⁹ And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." ³⁰ As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

Matthew 25:1-13

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

 ¹ "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
⁶ "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
¹¹ "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' ¹² But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
¹³ "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.