The Morning Offering

Sunday

July 3, 2011 / June 20, 2011

3^rd Sunday after Pentecost. Tone two.
Apostles' Fast. Fish Allowed

Korobeinikov-Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (movable holiday on the Saturday after to June 18th ).
Celebration in Vologda to the venerable fathers of Vologda (movable holiday on the 3rd Sunday of Pentecost).
Synaxis of Novgorod Hierarchs (movable holiday on the 3rd Sunday of Pentecost).
Synaxis of Saints of Belorussia (movable holiday on the 3rd Sunday of Pentecost): St. Menas, Bishop of Polotsk (1116), St Dionysius bishop Polotsk (1182), Cyril Bishop of Turiv (1183), Lavrenti Bishop of Turiv (1184), Symeon bishop Polotsk (1289); Blessed Great Prince Rostislav (baptize as Michael), of Kiev (1167); Venerable Martyrs Athanasius, Higumen of Brest (1648), Makarius Kabevsky Higumen of Pinsk (1678); Venerable Martin Turovsky (1150), Elise Lavrishevsk (1250); venerable Ephrosinia of Polotsk (1173), Martyr child Gabriel Belostotsky (1690); righteous Juliana princes Olshansky (1550), and Sophia princes Slutsk (1612).
Synaxis of Saints of Pskov (movable holiday on the 3rd Sunday of Pentecost).
Synaxis of Saints of St. Petersburg (movable holiday on the 3rd Sunday of Pentecost).
New Martyrs of the Turkish Yoke (movable holiday on the 3rd Sunday of Pentecost).
Hieromartyr Methodius, bishop of Patara (312).
Holy Prince Gleb Andreyevich of Vladimir (1175).
St. Minas, bishop of Polotsk (1116).
Translation of the relics of St. Gurias, archbishop of Kazan (1630).
Martyrs Inna, Pinna, and Rimma, disciples of Apostle Andrew in Scythia (1st-2nd c.).
Martyrs Aristocleus presbyter, Demetrian deacon, and Athanasius reader, of Cyprus (306).
St. Leucius the Confessor, bishop of Brindisi (5th c.).
St. Nicholas (Cabasilas) (1397).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Modensk-Kosninsk".
St. Nahum of Ochrid (910) (Bulgaria).
St. Callistus I, patriarch of Constantinople (Mt. Athos) (1363).
Translation of the relics and garments (ca. 960) of the Apostles Luke, Andrew, and Thomas, the Prophet Elisha, and Martyr Lazarus to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople (Greek).
Martyrs Paul, Cyriacus, Paula, Felicilana, Thomas, Felix, Martyrius, Vitaly, Crispinus, and Emilius in Tomi (290).
Blessed Studios, founder of the Studion Monastery (5th c.).
Finding of the relics (1959) of New Martyr Hieromonk Raphael of Lesbos (1463).

Words from the Abbot:

Click on video to watch:

Photos of the Day:

Scenes around Vashon Island. Photos by Abbot Tryphon.

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Romans 5:1-10

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

 ¹ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Christ in Our Place

⁶ For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Matthew 6:22-33

The Lamp of the Body

²² “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Click photo to enlarge.