The Morning Offering

Saturday

June 11, 2011 / May 29, 2011

Commemoration of the Dead. Tone six.

Virgin-martyr Theodosia of Tyre (308). Repose of Blessed John of Ustiug, fool-for-Christ (1494). Uncovering of the relics (2000) of Venerable Job, Schemamonk of Anzersk (1720). New Hieromartyr John deacon and martyr Andrew (1938).
St. Luke, hierarch-surgeon of Simferopol (1961).
Commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council (325). Virgin-martyr Theodosia of Constantinople (730). Pskov-Pechersk Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Surety of Sinners". The Icon of the Mother of God "Non-Slumbering Eye" ("Nedremliuschee Oko").
The Icon of the Mother of God "Imperial" ("Tsesarkaya") Borovsk.
St. Alexander, patriarch of Alexandria (328).
New Martyr Andrew of Chios (1465) (Greek).
New Martyr John (or Nannus) at Smyrna (1802).
Blessed Constantine XII, last of the Byzantine emperors, martyred by the Turks (1453).
Hieromartyr Olbian, bishop of Aneus, and his disciples (Greek).
Martyrs Cyril, child Carellus, Primolus, Phinodus, Venustus, Gissinus, Alexander, Tredentius, and Jocunda at Caesarea in Cappadocia (253-259).
Righteouses John and Mary of Ustiug (13th c.).

Words from the Abbot:

 

The Lord has placed a burden on my heart for young people. At the age of sixty-five, I find myself spending an ever increasing amount of time on the campuses and hosting a growing number of young people who visit the monastery. At an age when many of my contemporaries are grandfathers, or even great grandfathers, I've discovered the truth of something I read about while still a college student. Grandparents are often more sympathetic to the burdens and challenges that young people face than their own parents. Age seems to mellow us out and make us more sympathetic to the challenges young people face. We become less judgmental because we've been down the same road and know that, in the end, these young people will come out just fine.

Some time ago I had the mother of a boy of about thirteen arrive at the monastery, son in tow. She was upset because her son had declared himself an atheist and she was afraid he was in danger of eternal damnation. I sat down with the boy and told him that each one of us had to come to a personal awareness of the reality of God for ourselves. Doubting the existence of God, I told him, is all part of building a personal relationship with God. If we simply go through the motions without seeking a real relationship, we might as well be atheists. My own youth was filled with great spiritual struggle as I sought to fill the void I felt within my heart.

Most young people struggle with questions about things eternal. It is part of relationship building. Like the young lad who visited with his mom, I struggled with doubt. The only difference was that my struggle happened during my college days. It was a period of time when I was filled with anxiety  for the future and fearful of making the wrong decisions. I understand the issues facing young people today because I was a young man with the same fears and struggling with many of the same issues.

Knowing as I do now the importance of being honest, I told the mother to let her son explore for himself the reality of God. It was better for him to question the existence of God than to simply feign belief. At the same time I told the boy he needed to attend church with his family because it was important to be obedient to his parents and supportive of his younger brother. After all, one does not tell his parents that he's not going to attend school just because he doesn't see his studies as important.

The God this boy was rejecting is the very false image of God that I have long rejected. The God I have come to know personally is not the same god I rejected in my youth. The God revealed in Jesus Christ is the One Whom I've personally experienced and Who first sought me out.

If we are to have a personal relationship with God we must be open and honest and unafraid to question. The Lord wants us to be real with Him. Like the sound relationship that one sees in a long and successful marriage, a relationship with God must first and foremost be based in honesty and truth. Love and trust come with time and experience. Our relationship with God is something that builds over time, like all relationships.

These sixty-five years have led to a great deal of peace in my heart and an ever growing love for the God that first loved me. I KNOW God exists because I've experienced His great love in a personal way. It is now my heart felt desire to share my love for God with the youth of today. They, like me, need to discover God for themselves and build upon a relationship that began with their inception. 

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos of the Day:

 

Volunteers from the Lutheran Compass Center in Seattle helped put up deer fencing and clear the forest trails. These sweet people were a joy to have with us, and truly God sent.

 

Scripture Readings for the Day: 

Acts 28:1-31

Paul’s Ministry on Malta

 ¹ Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. ² And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. ³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. ⁴ So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” ⁵ But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
⁷ In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. ⁸ And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. ⁹ So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. ¹⁰ They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.

Arrival at Rome

¹¹ After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. ¹² And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. ¹³ From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, ¹⁴ where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. ¹⁵ And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.
¹⁶ Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul’s Ministry at Rome

¹⁷ And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, ¹⁸ who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. ¹⁹ But when the Jews spoke against it , I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. ²⁰ For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you , because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”
²¹ Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. ²² But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”
²³ So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴ And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. ²⁵ So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, ²⁶ saying,
   
      ‘ Go to this people and say:
      “ Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;
      And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
       ²⁷ For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
      Their ears are hard of hearing,
      And their eyes they have closed,
      Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
      Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
      So that I should heal them.”’
²⁸ “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” ²⁹ And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.
³⁰ Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, ³¹ preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

John 21:15-25

Jesus Restores Peter

¹⁵ So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. ¹⁸ Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” ¹⁹ This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

The Beloved Disciple and His Book

²⁰ Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” ²¹ Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
²² Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
²³ Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”
²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
²⁵ And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.


Click photo to enlarge.