The Morning Offering

Get Up Again

When you fall, get up again

It is often the case that we fail to keep God's commandments and find ourselves despondent, unable to make progress in the battle over our sins. The same sins seem to constantly plague us. Despondency is our enemy, for it is the tool the demons use to keep us distracted from the goal. They want us to give up the battle.

Holiness does not come easily but requires true struggle. When you fall, get up again. If you fall again, get up again, ever keeping your eyes on God Who will help you overcome your sins. Pray for God's help each time you start anew, even if you start a hundred times in a given day. Progress towards holiness comes each time we get up and start anew. Each step we take towards God brings us closer to our goal.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Hammi, our beloved Norwegian Forest Cat 
(click on photo to enlarge)

Saturday October 8, 2011 / September 25, 2011

17^th Week after Pentecost. 

Venerable Euphrosyne, nun, of Alexandria (445).
Repose of Venerable Sergius, abbot, of Radonezh (1392).
St. Nicholas confessor, priest (1941).
Venerable Euphrosyne, nun, of Suzdal (1250).
Translation of the relics of St. Herman, archbishop of Kazan (1595).Venerable Dosithea the Recluse of Kiev (1776).
Martyr Paphnutius and 546 companions in Egypt (3rd c.).

1 Corinthians 14:20-25

 

Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers


²⁰ Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.

²¹ In the law it is written:


      “ With men of other tongues and other lips
      I will speak to this people;
      And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,”

   says the Lord.
²² Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. ²³ Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? ²⁴ But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. ²⁵ And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

Luke 4:31-36

 

Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit



³¹ Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. ³² And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. ³³ Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. ³⁶ Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”

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