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

Sunday, March 7 / February 22 (Church Calendar)
Veneration of the Holy Cross

Saints of the Day:

 

February 22 / March 7. Opening of the Relics of Holy Martyrs at the gate of Eugenius at Constantinople. Martyrs Maurice and his son Photinus, and Martyrs Theodore, Philip, and 70 soldiers, at Apamea in Syria. Saints Thalassius, Limnaeus, and Baradates, hermits of Syria. St. Athanasius the confessor of Constantinople. St. Telesphorus, pope of Rome. St. Peter the Stylite of Mt. Athos. New-Martyr Theoktista Michailovna, fool-for-Christ of Voronezh (1936). New-Martyr priest Michael Lisicin (1918). (Greek Calendar: Martyr Anthusa and her 12 servants. St. Blaise, Bishop) Repose of 'Golden Grits'(Gregory) (1855) and Schema-nun Avramia of Kashin (1855).

Photo of the Day:

Rev. Hieromonk Paul, serving Vigils.
(click for enlargement)

Quote of the Day:

"Know firmly that love for God is the highest gift of the Holy Spirit, and a person can only prepare himself, through purity and humility, for the receiving of this great gift, through which mind and heart and body are changed."

 

Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov

"Love of God"

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Hebrews 4:14-5:6

Our Compassionate High Priest

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 5

Qualifications for High Priesthood

 ¹ For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. ³ Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. ⁴ And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

A Priest Forever

   
⁵ So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:


      " You are My Son,
      Today I have begotten You."

⁶ As He also says in another place:


      " You are a priest forever
      According to the order of Melchizedek";

Mark 8:34-9:1

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

³⁴ When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ³⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. ³⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? ³⁷ Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

Mark 9

Jesus Transfigured on the Mount

 ¹ And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."