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
Friday, January 15 / 2 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

St. Seraphim, Wonderworker of Sarov, Hieromartyr Theogenes, Bishop ofParium on the Hellespont. St. Sylvester of the Kiev Caves. St. Theopemptus, monk. St. Theodota, mother of the first SaintsCosmas and Damian. St. Mark the Deaf-mute. Martyr Sergius of Caesarea in Cappadocia. Martyr Theopistus. St. Cosmas,Archbishop of Constantinople. New-Martyr Zorsisus. Righteous Juliana of Lazarevo. Repose of Abbess Thais of Leushy (1915).

Photo of the Day:

One of my favorite beaches, just south of Cannon Beach, Oregon, site of the International Conference of Police Chaplains annual Northwest Regional Seminar. (click for enlargement)

Quote for the Day:

"I am convinced, my beloved, that everything that people ask in diligence and faith, God will grant them."
Abraham of Nathpar
from: "Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life"

Scripture Readings for the Day:

1 Peter 1:1-2

Greeting to the Elect Pilgrims

 ¹ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1 Peter 1:10-12

¹⁰ Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, ¹¹ searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. ¹² To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

⁶ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

      " Behold, I lay in Zion
      A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
      And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."

⁷ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,


      " The stone which the builders rejected
      Has become the chief cornerstone,"

 ⁸ and


      " A stone of stumbling
      And a rock of offense."

   They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Mark 12:1-12

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

 ¹ Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. ² Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. ³ And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. ⁵ And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. ⁶ Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' ⁷ But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' ⁸ So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.
⁹ "Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Have you not even read this Scripture:


      ' The stone which the builders rejected
      Has become the chief cornerstone.
       ¹¹ This was the LORD's doing,
      And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

 ¹² And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.