The Morning Offering

Berlin Synagogue Restored

Let Freedom and Human Dignity Reign

The largest synagogue in Germany reopens today after two years of renovation. Built in 1904, Rykestrasse synagogue was one of the few Jewish buildings in the capital to survive the Kristallnacht pogrom of November 1938. As an Orthodox Christian, I see God's hand whenever justice reigns, and when a people are allowed to worship in all freedom and human dignity. I rejoice with my many Jewish friends, as this historic synagogue is restored and reopened, in a city that saw so much sorrow, and the death of so many people of Jewish blood.

Whenever any people suffer discrimination, all of humanity suffers. The Palestinian people of the Holy Land have also suffered loss, as have Greeks in Cyprus, and Coptic Christians of Egypt. Persecution is never acceptable. Religious and racial discrimination is never acceptable. Anyone who would remain silent in the face of any form of discrimination, is as guilty as those who would discriminate.

We must all rejoice that this Jewish house of worship has been restored to it's former glory, and is once again filled with our brothers and sisters of Jewish blood. Let us pray for the restoration of all houses of worship, that all peoples the world over, will be free to worship according to their conscience, and free to pursue their dreams, and live their lives, without fear.

May God bless the peacemakers.

With love in Christ,

Abbot Tryphon

click on photos to enlarge

Sunday June 10, 2012 / May 28, 2012

1^st Sunday after Pentecost. All Saints. Tone eight.
Eve of Apostles' (Peter & Paul) Fast.

Icons of the Mother of God "the Consoler of angry hearts" and "the Unbreakable Wall" (movable holiday on the Sunday of All Saints).
Venerable Nicetas, bishop of Chalcedon (9th c.).
St. Ignatius, bishop and wonderworker of Rostov (1288).
Venerable Helen of Diveyevo (1832).
New Hieromartyr Macarius, Dyonisius, Hieromartyr Nicholas deacon, Martyrs Ignatius and Peter (1931).
New Hieromartyr Heraclius confessor (1936).
Virgin-Martyr Hermogenas (1942).
St. Eutychius, bishop of Melitene (1st c.).
Martyrs Heliconis and Dapni of Thessalonica (244).
Hieromartyr Helladius, bishop in the East (6th-7th c.).
"Nikeysky" (304), "Chukhlomsky" (Galich) (1350), "Orlovsky", "Antiochsky" and "Tenderness" Icons of the Mother of God.
New Martyr Mitros (Demetrius) of Tripolitsa (1794) (Greek).
New Hieromartyr Zachariah of Prusa (1802) (Greek).
Venerable Sophronius, monk, of Bulgaria (1510) (Bulgaria).
St. Germanus, bishop of Paris (576) (Gaul).
Martyrs Crescens, Paul, and Dioscorides of Rome (326) (Greek).
St. William of Languedoc (812) (Gaul).
St. Gerontius, metropolitan of Moscow (1489).
St. Andrew the fool-for-Christ of Constantinople (911).

You can read the life of the saint in green, by click on the name.

Our thanks and gratitude to all of you who have contributed to the monastery through your generous contributions. May God richly bless you for your kindness, and support, of this monastery.
With love and blessings,
Abbot Tryphon

Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:

All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA

Hebrews 11:33-12:2

³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ³⁵ Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

The Race of Faith

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Matthew 10:32-33

Confess Christ Before Men

³² “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 10:37-38

³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Matthew 19:27-30

²⁷ Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”

²⁸ So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.