The Morning Offering

September 23 / 10

 
Saints of the Day:
Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos. Martyrs Menodora, Metrodora, and Nymphodora at Nicomedia.Martyr Barypsabas in Dalmatia. Saints Peter and Paul, Bishops of Nicaea. St. Pulcherius the Empress. Synaxis of the HolyApostles Apelles, Lucius and Clement of the Seventy. St. Ioasaph, monk of Kubensk (Vologda). St. Paul the Obedient of the KievCaves. St. Cassian, abbot of Spaso-Kamenny and Cyril of White Lake Monasteries. St. Salvius, Bishop of Albi (Gaul).
 
Quote of the Day: "...The Lord wishes to say that the apostles must not be confident of their own salvation and glorification only because they have been called to be His apostles. For, even among the apostles themselves, there is found one who will perish. The Kingdom is prepared for all who, in this life, show themselves worthy of it, with no consideration of calling or of external closeness to Christ, or of any blood-relationship with Him, as was the case with these two brothers - James and John. Humility to the point of scorning self, and love to the point of death - these are the two lessons that the Lord sought to implant in the hearts of His disciples, uprooting from them the weeds of pride, self-esteem and overweening vanity."

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

"Homily on the Gospel of the Son of God's Service and Suffering"

 

Photo of the Day:

Vashon Island, as seen from a ferry.

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Ephesians 5:33-6:9

³³ Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 6

Children and Parents

 ¹ Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² “Honor your father and mother,”³ “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” which is the first commandment with promise: ⁴ And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Bondservants and Masters

⁵ Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; ⁶ not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷ with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, ⁸ knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
⁹ And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

 Luke 4:16-22

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

¹⁶ So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
       ¹⁸ “ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
       Because He has anointed Me
      To preach the gospel to the poor;       He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
      To proclaim liberty to the captives
      And recovery of sight to the blind,
      To set at liberty those who are oppressed;        ¹⁹ To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
 ²⁰ Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. ²¹ And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” ²² So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”