The Morning Offering

PALM SUNDAY

The Triumphal Entrance into Jerusalem

As the crowds acclaim him their King, Jesus entered into the holy city of Jerusalem. Jesus does not silence the people, and tell them he is not their King, but this king arrives on a donkey. He is not accompanied by an imperial court, nor is he surrounded by an army as symbolizing his power.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).
 
As a sign of his kingship, Jesus imitated Abraham who rode a donkey when he took Isaac for sacrifice to the mountain. He imitated Moses who rode a donkey. He imitated David who rode a donkey, as did Solomon as a sign that he was David's successor.

Riding on a donkey is in itself a sign of Christ's kingly character. Yet he is received by simple people who see in him something more than a king. In Jesus they have that sense of the faith which says: here is the Saviour, for he does not enter the Holy City to receive the honors reserved to earthly kings, but he enters to be scourged, insulted and abused, as Isaiah the prophet had foretold. 

He enters to receive a crown of thorns, a staff, a purple robe: his kingship becomes an object of derision. He enters to climb Calvary, carrying his burden of wood.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Sunday April 28, 2013 / April 15, 2013
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
Great Lent. Fish Allowed
Apostles Aristarchus, Pudens, and Trophimus of the Seventy (67).
New Hieromartyr Alexander priest (1930).
Martyrs Basilissa and Anastasia of Rome, disciples of Apostles Peter and Paul (1st c.).
Martyr Suchias and his companions: Andrew, Anastasius, Thalaleus, Theodoretus, Ivchirion, Jordan, Quadratus, Lucian, Mimnenos, Nerangius, Polyeuctus, James, Phocas, Domentianus, Victor, and Zosima (Chorimos), in Armenia (123).
Martyr Sabbas the Goth of Buzau in Wallachia (Romania) (372).
St. Mstislav Theodore, prince of Kiev (1132).
Venerable Ruadhan, founder and abbot of Lothra, Ireland (ca. 584) (Celtic & British).
St. Leonidas, bishop of Athens (Greek).
St. Basil of Poiana Marului (1767).
St. Daniel of Achinsk, Siberia (1843).
Martyr Pausilipus of Thrace (2nd c.).
Martyr Crescens of Myra (3rd c.).
St. Paternus, bishop of Llandbadarn Fawr.
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

The Scripture Readings

Philippians 4:4-9

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

John 12:1-18

The Anointing at Bethany

12 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. ² There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. ³ Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
⁴ But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ⁵ “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
⁷ But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. ⁸ For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

⁹ Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. ¹⁰ But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, ¹¹ because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

¹² The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³ took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”

¹⁴ Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

¹⁵ “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
¹⁷ Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. ¹⁸ For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.