The Morning Offering

Conspiracy

Conspiracies and the
Living of the Christian Life

It is spiritually fruitless if we allow ourselves to be distracted by the delusions created by Satan that draw us away from the awareness of the presence of God. When we allow the thrall of conspiracy theories to fill us with fear, anxiety and mental, emotional and spiritual turmoil, we become distracted from the peace that should reign in family life.

Living the Christian life is what will bring us into the Kingdom, that is to say, into communion with God, where we will find true knowledge and understanding, by divine illumination, by which God will reveal to us what He knows we need to know for our spiritual advancement.

For pastors and archpastors, more awareness of the things of this world may be necessary, in order to guide and protect the flock. But much of the fear, confusion, anxiety and distraction, even desperation, that can spring from delving into conspiracy theories, is not spiritually healthy. It can become an addictive substitution for a health spiritual life, and keep us from the task of the Christian to, 'turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it' as is written in the psalms.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Thursday July 12, 2012 / June 29, 2012

6^th Week after Pentecost. Tone four.

The Holy, Glorious and All-praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul (67).

The end of the Apostles Peter and Paul Fast
St. Gregory, metropolitan of Iraklia and Redestos (Const.)..
"Kasperovsk" (1853-1855) Icon of the Mother of God.
Venerable Peter, prince of the Tatar Horde, wonderworker of Rostov (1290).
Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Nicander, monk, of Pskov (1581).
St. Mary, mother of John-Mark, nephew of Apostle Barnabas, at Jersusalem (1st c.).

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

THANK YOU, to all of you who have been able to contribute towards the support of the monastery. These difficult times of economic hardship have impacted the monastery, and those of you who have been able to donate, have been our lifeline. May God bless you for your generosity, and kindness.
With love in Christ, 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

2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9

²¹To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

Suffering for Christ

²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. ²⁴From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— ²⁸besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

³⁰If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. ³¹The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. ³²In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; ³³but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

The Vision of Paradise

12 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

The Thorn in the Flesh

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Matthew 16:13-19

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

¹³When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

¹⁴So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

¹⁶Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”