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
Thursday, January 7 / December 25 (Church Calendar)
The Holy Nativity of Our Lord, God and
Saviour Jesus Christ

Saints of the Day:

December 25 / January 7. THE NATIVITY ACCORDING TO THE FLESH OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST The Adoration of the Magi: Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar. Commemoration of the shepherds in Bethlehem who were watching their flocks and came to see the Lord. Massacre of monk-martyr Jonah and with him 50 monks and 65 laymen at St. Tryphon of Pechenga Monastery, by the Swedes (1590).

Photo of the Day:



This is the Nativity Icon that hangs over our Proskomide Table in the Altar.
(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Thought for the Day:

PEACE FROM GOD - CHRIST IS BORN!

 Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,

Has shone upon the world with the light of knowledge:

For thereby they who adored the stars,

Through a star were taught

To worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness,

And to know Thee the Dayspring from on high.

O Lord, glory to Thee.

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Galatians 4:4-7

⁴ But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Matthew 2:1-12

Wise Men from the East

 ¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
⁵ So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
       ⁶ ' But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
      Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
      For out of you shall come a Ruler
       Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.