The Morning Offering

Hieromonk Paul, together with Bishop Theodosy

Sunday
January 23, 2011 / January 10, 2011

35^th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone two.

Sunday after the Baptism of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ
Afterfeast of the Theophany.
St. Gregory of Nyssa (395).
Venerable Dometian, bishop of Melitene (601).
St. Theophan the Recluse, bishop of Tambov (1894).
Venerable Marcian, presbyter of Constantinople (471).
Venerable Paul, abbot of Obnora (Vologda) (1429), and his disciple St. Macarius, abbot of Pisma Monastery.
Venerable Antipas of Valaam (1882).
New Hieromartyr Zenobius priest (1920).
New Hieromartyr Peter priest (1930).
New Hieromartyr Anatolius metropolite of Odessa (1938).
Woman Hieromartyr Arsenia abbes (1939).
Venerable Macarius of Pisemsk and Kostroma (14c).
Blessed Theosebia the Deaconess (385), sister of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nyssa.
Venerable Ammon of Nitria, monk (5th c.).
Venerable Antipas of Galapodeshti, Romania and Valaam Monastery (1882) (Romania).
Martyred Elder Ephraim and six incorrupt monks of Obnora (1538).

Photo of the Day:

Co-Founder of All-Merciful Saviour Monastery, Hieromonk Paul, shown in this photograph with His Grace, Bishop Theodosy of Seattle, during the Saint Nicholas Day Liturgy, in Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Seattle, WA. Father Paul celebrates his Names Day, today. 

Venerable Paul, Abbot of Obnora (Vologda) (1429)

MANY YEARS, FATHER PAUL!

Quote for the Day:

"The eyes of pigs have a natural conformation which makes them turn towards the ground and they can never look up to Heaven, so is the soul of one who lets himself be carried away by pleasure. Once the soul is allowed to slip into the slough of enjoyment, she can no longer get out again."

"The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers"

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Ephesians 4:7-13

Spiritual Gifts

⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says:


      “ When He ascended on high,
      He led captivity captive,
      And gave gifts to men.”

 ⁹ (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry

¹² Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. ¹³ And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
       ¹⁵ “ The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
      By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
      Galilee of the Gentiles:
       ¹⁶ The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
      And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
      Light has dawned.”

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”