The Morning Offering

Wednesday

June 15, 2011 / June 2, 2011

Afterfeast of Pentecost. 

Tone seven.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free

St. Nicephorus the Confessor, patriarch of Constantinople (829).
Great-martyr John the New of Suceava, at Belgorod (Cetatea Alba) (1332).
Finding of the relics (1815) of St. Juliana, princess of Vyasma (1406).
"Kiev-Bratsk" Icon of the Mother of God (1654).
New Martyr Demetrius of Philadelphia (1657) (Greek).
Hieromartyr Pothinus, bishop of Lyons (177) (Gaul).
St. Odo, archbishop of Canterbury (959)) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Constantine of the Hagarenes (Mt. Athos) (1819) (Greek).
Hieromartyr Erasmus of Ochrid, who reposed in peace, and 20,000 Martyrs with him (303) (Greek).
New Martyr John of Trebizond (Greek).
New Martyr Asprocastron (White Castle).

Words from the Abbot:

 

There are a lot of fear based communities in our world. Some are religious and some are political. All are guilty of missing the mark when it comes to the message of the Church. We Christians were not programmed to be victims, living in fear. For the Christian the True Self is the one that is created in the image and likeness of God. As children of the Most High we are meant to live, not in fear, but in a joyful state, knowing and experiencing the love of God. Our God is not a god of anger and vengeance, but one Who invites us into a relationship based in loving communion. God is not waiting to send down fire upon our heads as an angry parent, but rather a loving Father Who desires that we connect with our true selves and put off the false self.

When we live as problem centered people we miss the mark. If we focus on those things in our lives that are negative, such as struggles with a particular sin, or negative thinking, we fail to live up to the true self.

Many therapists keep their patients in a codependent state by giving them labels that speak of mental illness. Political parties often keep themselves in power by playing to the negative labels they've created for the opposition. Religions often do the same thing, even with their own adherents, keeping them hooked in a negative pattern that disallows a spiritual growth that leads to healing and spiritual well being.

Fear based communities use abuse to keep their people in line, leaving them in a state of perpetual infancy, unable to reach their full potential and preventing them from realizing their true self. Such institutions, political or religious, prevent people from flourishing.

God invites us to integrate our lives as His children and utilizing all the gifts He has given us which lead to fulfilled lives. Fear is vanquished for the Christian precisely because we ARE His children. In Orthodoxy the priests and bishops are called upon to encourage the faithful to live lives in faithfulness to God's commandments, not because there will be grave consequences if we don't, but because of the great joy that is ours when we have communion with Him.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos of the Day:

Interior photos of the Monastery's temple.

Scripture Readings for the Day:



Romans 1:18-27

God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
²⁴ Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷ Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

Matthew 5:20-26

²⁰ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder Begins in the Heart

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. ²³ Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Click photo to enlarge.