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, June 12 / మే 30 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

May 30 / June 12. St. Isaac, founder of the Dalmation Monastery at Constantinople. St. James, monk of Galich monastery. Martyr Natalius. Martyrs Romanus, Meletius, and Euplius. Martyr Barlaam of Caesarea in Cappadocia. Repose of Abbot Ephraim of Sarov (1778).

Photo of the Day:

The Monastery recently hosted a meeting of the Washington Orthodox Clergy Association.

(click for enlargement)

A Clarification:

In yesterday's blog, I stated the following: "Saint John the Wonderworker would not commune anyone who did not use their saint's name in everyday use." I should have said, he would not commune anyone who did not use their saint's name when approaching the Holy Mysteries. This is quite a difference, of course, and I would like to apologize, should my error have caused any of my readers undo stress or upset.

Quote of the Day:

I saw the snares that the enemy spread out over the world and I said groaning, "What can get through from such snares?" Then I heard a voice saying to me, "Humility."

St. Anthony the Great

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Romans 3:28-4:3

²⁸ Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. ²⁹ Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, ³⁰ since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹ Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 4

Abraham Justified by Faith

¹ What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

Matthew 7:24-8:4

Build on the Rock

²⁴ "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
²⁶ "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
²⁸ And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, ²⁹ for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 8

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

¹ When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. ² And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."
³ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
⁴ And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."