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

Saturday, May 15  / 2 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

May 2 / 15. St. Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria. St. Athanasius of Lubensk, Patriarch of Constantinople. Martyrs Hesperus, Zoe, and their sons Cyriacus and Theodulus, at Attalia. Translation of the Relics of the Holy Passion-bearers Boris and Gleb (in holy baptism, Romanus and David). St. Boris-Michael, prince of Bulgaria. (Greek Calendar: St. Jordan the Wonderworker.)

Photo of the Day:

Pacific Lutheran University's pipe organ, the largest west of the Mississippi.

(click for enlargement)

News  Article for the Day:

May 7, 2010

By Kleo Mavridis

Members of the "International Congregation of Agia Sophia" will make a pilgrimage to Agia Sofia in Istanbul in order to conduct a service on September 17, the day the Orthodox Church celebrates the holy feast day of Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love.

During a press conference in Thessaloniki, the President of the International Congregation, Chris Spirou, said that the Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, has already been informed in writing.

"The purpose of our Congregation's visit is to conduct Holy Liturgy Services in the the Great Church of Christianity, the Symbol of the Orthodox Christian Faith", was written in the letter. After he was asked, whether the Greek Department of Foreign Affairs has been notified about this, Mr. Spirou said that it isn't a political issue and that "no government has the right to interfere with religion and to appoint religious leaders".

The "International Congregation of Agia Sophia" was founded in 2005 and is a USA-based non-profit organization. Its purpose is to restore the Agia Sophia as a place of worship. The organisation's thousands of members worldwide include followers of other religions and denominations.

Quote of the Day: 

"...for all his [the Christian's] deep compassion, his tears and prayers for the world, there is none of the despair that destroys. Aware of the breath of the Holy Spirit, he is assured of the inevitable victory of Light."

Archimandrite Sophrony  

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Acts 20:7-12

Ministering at Troas

⁷ Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. ⁹ And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, "Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him." ¹¹ Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. ¹² And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.

John 14:10-21

¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

The Answered Prayer

¹² "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Jesus Promises Another Helper

¹⁵ "If you love Me, keep My commandments. ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Indwelling of the Father and the Son

¹⁹ "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. ²⁰ At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. ²¹ He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."