The Morning Offering

Self-esteem

Ferry to Vashon Island (click to enlarge)

The Idolatry of Self-esteem

Among the contributors to self-worship, is the possibility of falling into a form of idolatry associated with self-esteem. It is easy to fall into this form of idolatry, since our society has placed a great deal of emphasis on the need for self-esteem. The modern religion of psychoanalysis has promoted self-esteem as though it were the modern equivalent of enlightenment. The priests of this modern, humanistic religion have made millions on the selling of self-esteem, with the end result that we've become a society given over almost entirely to image.
 
Our children have been deprived of childhood, focused as they are, on the acquisition of an archetype image promoted by pop culture. Little girls have been sexualized by a society that has allowed them to be influenced by the music industry. Parents and teachers have been almost powerless in combating the horrid influences that have torn the childhood innocence away from our little ones.
 
Little boys have not escaped the insidious warping of childhood innocence, immersed, as they've been, by a society that has become hyper-sexualized. The whole of society has entered into such a hedonistic state, as to be largely untroubled by the cultural changes that have befallen the twenty-first century. Image has become all important to many people, with plastic surgery, face lifts, and tummy tucks becoming the new normal, with large numbers of people suddenly dissatisfied with their looks, and their bodies.
 
The need for self-esteem has displaced the role of humility, so valued a hallmark for a well adjusted, good person, and pride enters the heart. This demon of pride can only be driven away by intense prayer and by not doing or saying anything that contributes to the sense of  self importance. That self-esteem which gives rise to pride, seals us to the same fate which cast down the highest of the angels. Let us turn quickly away from pride and not ally with it, lest we surrender our life to others, and your substance to the merciless (cf. Prov. 5:9).

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Saturday January 12, 2013 / December 30, 2012
32^nd Week after Pentecost. Tone six.
Sviatki. Fast-free
Saturday after the Nativity and before the Baptism of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ
Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ.
 
St. Macarius, metropolitan of Moscow (1563).
Virgin-martyr Anysia at Thessalonica (298).
Martyr Zoticus of Constantinople, feeder of orphans (4th c.).
New Hieromartyr Priest Sergius Florinsky of Rakvere, Estonia (1918).
Virgin-martyr Mary (1946).
Apostle Timon the Deacon (1st c.).
Martyr Philoterus of Nicomedia, and with him six soldiers and one count (311).
Venerable Theodora, nun of Caesarea in Cappadocia (8th cen.).
Venerable Theodora, nun, of Constantinople (940).
New Martyr Gideon of Karakallou, Mt. Athos (1818) (Greek).
Martyrs Magistrianus, Paulinus, Umbrius, Verus, Severus, Callistratus, Florentius, Arianus, Anthimus, Ubricius, Isidore, Euculus, Sampson, Studius, and Thespesius, who suffered under Julian the Apostate (4th c.).
Opening of the relics (1652) of Venerable Daniel of Pereyaslavl (1540).
St. Egwin, bishop of Worcester (717) (Celtic & British).
St. Tryphon, bishop of Rostov (1468).
St. Leo the Archimandrite (Greek).
St. Isaacius of Dalmaton (Greek).

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

1 Timothy 6:11-16

The Good Confession

¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴ that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, ¹⁵ which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Matthew 12:15-21

Behold, My Servant

¹⁵ But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. ¹⁶ Yet He warned them not to make Him known, ¹⁷ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
¹⁸ “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,
My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
¹⁹ He will not quarrel nor cry out,
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
²⁰ A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench,
Till He sends forth justice to victory;
²¹ And in His name Gentiles will trust.”