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
Monday, October 5 / September 22 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

September 22 / October 5. Hieromartyr Phocas, Bishop of Sinope Prophet Jonah. Martyr Phocas the Gardener of Sinope. St. Jonah the Presbyter, father of St. Theophanes the Hymnographer and St. Theodore Graptus. St. Peter the Tax-collector. St. Jonah, abbot of Yashezersk. The 26 Martyrs of Zographou Monastery on Mt. Athos, martyred by the Latins (see October 10). St. Cosmas of Zographou. Martyrs Isaac and Martin. St. Macarius, abbot of Zhabyn. St. Theophanes the Silent, recluse of the Kiev Caves. Repose of Abbot Innocent of Valaam (1828) and Blessed Parasceva Pasha of Sarov, fool-for-Christ of Diveyevo Convent (1915).

Photo of the Day:
 
  The "command post" from which my daily blog is sent out. (click to enlarge)

Quote of the Day:

"Only the mind which has been cleansed from the passions and the darkness of sin, and has been sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, is in a position to feel and to love that which is holy and to live from it and for it. Only the pure can know the pure: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' First they will see Him in the face of His saints because God 'rests in His saints.' There they will also see every divine gift which is placed upon every creature of God."

St. Justin Popovich

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Ephesians 4:25-32

Do Not Grieve the Spirit

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, " Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. ²⁶ "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Luke 3:19-22

¹⁹ But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, ²⁰ also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

John Baptizes Jesus

²¹ When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. ²² And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."