The Morning Offering

Interior of Saint Katherine Church, Rogue River, Oregon

Saint Katherine Church

November 3 / October 20

Saints of the Day:
St. Hilarion the Great. Repose of St. Hilarion, Bishop of Meglin in Bulgaria. Martyrs Dasius, Gaius, andZoticus at Nicomedia. Saints Theophilus and James, abbots of Omutch (Pskov). St. Hilarion, abbot of Pskov. St. Hilarion,Schemamonk of the Kiev Caves. St. Philotheus of Mt. Athos. New-Martyr John of the Peloponnesus. Saints Vissarion (Bessarion)Sarai, hieromonk, and Sophronie of Ciorara, monk, confessors, and St. Oprea of Salistie, martyred by the Latins in Rumania (Greek Calendar: Newly-revealed Martyrs Andrew, Stephen, Paul and Peter. Martyrs Theodota and Socrates the priest in Ancyra Monk-martyr Eucratus. St. Baruch, monk. Monk-martyr Zachariah. Martyr Azes. Translation of the Relics of St. Christodulus theWonderworker of Patmos.) Namesday of Elder Hilarion of Optina.

Quote of the Day:
"Bear with every man in such a way that God may also bear with thee."

Abba Amonis

Photo of the Day:
I'm in Rogue River, Oregon, with my friend Father Seraphim Cardoza, who'll be joining me in my drive to San Francisco, for the annual Diocesan Pastoral Conference, which starts on Thursday. These are photos of his parish temple, Saint Katherine Church.


Scripture Readings for the Day:
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Plea for Purity

 ¹ Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; ² for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵ not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶ that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. ⁷ For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

A Brotherly and Orderly Life

⁹ But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; ¹⁰ and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; ¹¹ that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, ¹² that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

Luke 9:44-50

⁴⁴ “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵ But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

Who Is the Greatest?

⁴⁶ Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. ⁴⁷ And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, ⁴⁸ and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”

Jesus Forbids Sectarianism

⁴⁹ Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.”