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

American Independence Day
Sunday, July 4 / June 21 (Church Calendar)

Saints of the Day:

June 21 / July 4. Martyr Julian of Tarsus in Cilicia. Hieromartyr Terence (Tertius), Bishop of Iconium. St. Julius, presbyter of Novara, and his brother St. Julian the deacon. New-Martyr Nicetas of Nisyros near Rhodes. Martyrs Archil II and Luarsab II, kings of Georgia. Martyr Aphrodisius in Cilicia. (Greek Calendar: Martyr Julian of Libya. Hieromartyr Anthony, Anastasius who was raised from the dead, Celsius and his mother Vasilissa, 20 prison guards and 7 brothers, martyred with St. Julian.)

Photo of the Day:

Our monastery, as seen from the entrance road.

(click for enlargement)

Quote of the Day:

"...every word of Scripture is beyond reproach. The appearance of contradiction is due to our ignorance. We ought not to find fault with the Scriptures, but to the limit of our capacity we should attend to them as they are, and not as we would like them to be..."

St. John of Damascus

News Item of the Day:

02 July 2010

Patriarch Kirill recommends priests to be more active in social networks

Tver, July 1, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes clerics should be more active in missionary work in blogs and social networks.

Meeting with clergy of the Tver Diocese he regretted "the level of discussions in social blogs is sometimes depressing" while "people's, especially young people's, mood is formed there."

According to the Church Primate, today every deanery of a diocese should have its own website in order to spread information about themselves, hold dialogue with authorities, discuss socially important and at times disputable questions.

                                       

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Romans 12:6-14

⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Behave Like a Christian

⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹² rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³ distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Matthew 9:1-8

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

 ¹ So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. ² Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
³ And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!"
⁴ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? ⁵ For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'? ⁶ But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." ⁷ And he arose and departed to his house.
⁸ Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.