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, May 27  / 14 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

May 14 / 27. Martyr Isidore of Chios. St. Isidore, fool-for-Christ, wonderworker of Rostov. Martyr Maximus. St. Serapion, monk of Egypt. St. Nicetas, Bishop of Novgorod and recluse of the Kiev Caves. New-Martyr Mark of Crete at Smyrna. New-Martyr John of Bulgaria. First Opening of the Relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk (1846). (Greek Calendar: Martyrs Alexander, Barbarus and Acolythus, martyred at the Church of the Holy Peace by the Sea in Constantinople. St. Leontius, Patriarch of Jerusalem.) Commemoration of the martyrdom by the Poles of Abbot Anthony with 40 monks and 1000 laymen of St. Paisius of Uglich Monastery, and Abbot Daniel with 30 monks and 200 laymen of St. Nicholas Monastery (1609).

Photo of the Day:

Our fifty year old Rhododendron.

(click for enlargement)

Quote of the Day:

"Prayer that rises up in someone's heart serves to open up for us the door of heaven: that person stands in converse with the Divinity and gives pleasure to the Son of God."

St. Ephraim the Syrian

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Romans 1:28-2:9

²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; ³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans 2

God's Righteous Judgment

 ¹ Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ² But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. ³ And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who "will render to each one according to his deeds": ⁷ eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; ⁸ but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, ⁹ tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;

Matthew 5:27-32

Adultery in the Heart

²⁷ "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' ²⁸ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding

³¹ "Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' ³² But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.