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, April 15  / 2 (Church Calendar)


Saints of the Day:

 

April 2 / 15. St. Titus the wonderworker. Martyrs Amphianus (Apphianus) and Edesiua (Aedesius) of Lycia. Martyr Polycarp of Alexandria. St. Gregory, ascetic of Nicomedia. (Greek Calendar: Virgin Martyr Theodora of Palestine.)

Photo of the Day:

The final blessing.

(click for enlargement)

Quote of the Day: 

"The source and ground of our distractive thoughts is the fragmented state of our memory. The memory was originally simple and one-pointed, but as a result of the fall its natural powers have been perverted: it has lost its recollectedness in God and has become compound instead of simple, diversified instead of one-pointed."

St. Gregory of Sinai

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Acts 4:23-31

Prayer for Boldness

²³ And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:


      ' Why did the nations rage,
      And the people plot vain things?
       ²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand,
      And the rulers were gathered together
      Against the LORD and against His Christ.'

²⁷ "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ²⁸ to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

John 5:24-30

Life and Judgment Are Through the Son

²⁴ "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. ²⁵ Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷ and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. ³⁰ I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

--
Very Rev. Abbot Tryphon
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420
frtryphon@vashonmonks.com
http://www.vashonmonks.com
http://morningoffering.blogspot.com/