The Morning Offering

 

Sunday

June 12, 2011 / May 30, 2011

Pentecost – Trinity Sunday.

"Lesna" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (1696) (movable holiday on the Trinity Sunday).
Holy Fathers and Mothers of Atchara (18th c.) (movable holiday on the Trinity Sunday) (Georgia).
Venerable Isaac, founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (383).
New Hieromartyr Basil priest (1942).
Martyr Natalius.
Martyrs Romanus, Meletius and Euplius.
St. Macrina, grandmother of St. Basil the Great (4th c.).
Venerable James, monk of Galich Monastery (15th c.).
Venerables Isaiah and Nikanor of Arkhangel'sk.
Martyr Barlaam of Caesarea in Cappadocia.
St. Venantius of Gaul (374).
St. Hubert of Maastricht (727) (Neth.).
 

Words from the Abbot:

 

The economy, national unemployment rates, record setting hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, fires, floods and drought, have given us all pause for thought. Economists and politicians have been unable to bring us out of this spiraling economic downturn and modern science and technology have been shown to be powerless against the forces of nature. Increasing numbers of people are becoming despondent and worry about what may be coming next.

A week ago I had a woman come up to me in a Seattle bookstore and ask me why God is allowing all this to happen to us. She pointed out that America's bible belt has suffered much of our nations destructive storms, and she couldn't understand why God would be allowing all this to happen. She began to shed a few tears as she shared her growing anxiety and despondency. She'd approached me, she said, because (obviously) I was a clergyman and she could tell that I was happy.

I shared with this dear woman that I, too, was concerned about all these things. My heart goes out to all those who've lost everything, and I pray daily for the suffering peoples all over the world. Yet I remain peaceful in my heart because I place myself in the presence of God every day and stay focused on all that I am thankful for.

The scriptures tell us that we should give thanks for all things and that peace passes all understanding. If we connect with the Lord in our heart, wherein lies the Kingdom of God, we can live in a state of joy, with hearts that rejoice even when destruction reigns all around us. We can learn to let go of our worry and give it over to God.

We must get out of our head, and into our heart. When we come into the presence of God the world can not disturb our peace. Our true home is not of this world and we do not have to wait for the next world to find that peace which which comes from God.

Worry comes from the head, not the heart. God is not doing this to us, we are doing it on ourselves. We've overspent, become materialistic and abused the environment. There are consequences to sin. The solution to all that has befallen our world is not to be found in science and technology. Our elected officials can't bring peace and prosperity. Revolution and war can not bring peace to our world.

Change is happening all around us and things are not going to get better until we humans turn back to God in repentance. We must focus, not on all that is wrong, but on what we can do to change that which is happening in the heart. We must be proactive rather than reactive. 
 
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos of the Day:

We are blessed to have as a dear friend and benefactor of the monastery, Dr. Robert Fouty, M.D., shown in one of these photos adding finishing touches to the iconostasis, which was built entirely by him. (photos of Dr. Fouty at bottom of page)

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Acts 2:1-11

Coming of the Holy Spirit

 ¹ When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Crowd’s Response

⁵ And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. ⁷ Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”

John 7:37-52

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

³⁷ On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Who Is He?

⁴⁰ Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” ⁴¹ Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? ⁴² Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” ⁴³ So there was a division among the people because of Him. ⁴⁴ Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

Rejected by the Authorities

⁴⁵ Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”
⁴⁶ The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”
⁴⁷ Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? ⁴⁸ Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? ⁴⁹ But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
⁵⁰ Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, ⁵¹ “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
⁵² They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”

Click photo to enlarge.

Our friend and benefactor Bob Fouty, M.D.