The Morning Offering

Saturday
January 22, 2011 / January 9, 2011

35^th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.

Saturday after the Baptism of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ
Venerable Pachomius of Kensk (16th c.) (movable holiday on the Saturday after the Baptism of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ).
Afterfeast of the Theophany.
Martyr Polyeuctus of Melitene in Armenia (259).
Hieromartyr Philip, metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia (1569).
New Hieromartyr Paul priest (1943).
Prophet Shemaiah (Samaia, Semeias) (10th c. B.C.).
St. Peter, bishop of Sebaste in Armenia (395), and brother of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nyssa.
Venerable Eustratius the Wonderworker of Tarsus (821).
St. Adrian of Canterbury (710) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Parthena of Edessa in Macedonia (1375).
St. Jonah (Peter in schema), founder of Holy Trinity Monastery in Kiev (1902).
Translation of the relicts of St. Judoc, hermit of Ponthieu.
St. Fillan, abbot of Strathfillan.

 Quote for the Day:

"Through her, the inhabitants of Heaven and earth made reconciliation, And the two sides that had been at enmity found great peace. Through her, confusion of face was removed from womankind, And the reproach passed away from all women of all generations. By her the way to Eden, which had been blocked up, was found out again; The serpent took to flight, and mankind passed over unto God. Because of her, the Cherub withdrew his spear, no more to guard the Tree of Life, Which of itself dropped down its fruit to those who eat thereof. She gave us the sweet fruit filled with life, That we might eat of it and live for ever with God."

Mar Jacob, Bishop of Serugh.

Scripture Readings for the Day:
Ephesians 6:10-17

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Matthew 4:1-11

Satan Tempts Jesus

 ¹ Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
⁵ Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:


      ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,’

   and,


      ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up,
      Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”
⁸ Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”
¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.