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

Feast of Saint John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco
Saturday, July 3 / June 20 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

June 20 / July 3. Hieromartyr Methodius, Bishop of Patara. Martyrs Aristocleus presbyter, Demetrian deacon, and Athanasius reader, of Cyprus. Martyrs Inna, Pinna, and Rimma, disciples of Apostle Andrew in Scythia. St. Leucius, Bishop of Brindisi. Holy Prince Gleb Andreevich. St. Nahum of Ochrida. Translation of the Relics of St. Gurias, Archbishop of Kazan. St. Callistus, Patriarch of Constantinople. Translation of the Relics and garments of Apostles Luke, Andrew and Thomas, the Prophet Elisha, and Martyr Lazarus, to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Odigitria (Directress) at the Monastery of Xenophon on Mt. Athos.

Photo of the Day:

The courtyard, and our visiting young buck.

(click for enlargement)

Quote of the Day:

"There are some who say thus - that the Lord requires of men only the fruits that are visible, and that it is for God to rectify things that are hidden. That is not the case. As a man secures himself with regard to the outer man, so ought he to carry on strife and war with his thoughts. The Lord requires of thee to be angry with thyself, and to do battle with thy mind, and neither to consent nor to take pleasure in the thoughts of wickedness.

    Nevertheless, to root out sin and the evil that is ever with us, this can only be accomplished by the Divine Power. It is not possible or within a man's competance to root out sin by his own power. To wrestle against it, to fight against it, to give and receive blows, is thine; to uproot is God's."

 

Saint Macarius the Great

"Spiritual Homilies" (Homily 3)

Video of the Day:

Freedom of Worship and Freedom of Religion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROmD64hrv9c&feature=player_embedded

                                       

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Romans 9:1-5

Israel's Rejection of Christ

 ¹ I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, ² that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, ⁴ who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; ⁵ of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Matthew 9:18-26

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

   
¹⁸ While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." ¹⁹ So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.
²⁰ And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. ²¹ For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." ²² But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.
²³ When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, ²⁴ He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. ²⁵ But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. ²⁶ And the report of this went out into all that land.