The Morning Offering

All About Me

Let My Will be Done on Earth and in Heaven

When we closely examine our heart, we must see whether we are filled with a strong sense of self importance, or if we see ourselves as the least of all. If we think highly of ourselves, this sense of personal importance will lead us to expect everything to go exactly as we think it should. A strong sense of our own self importance, will mean we want to control the whole of our life. This sense of entitlement will lead us to demand everything be as we wish it, and we will have replaced God's will, with our own will.

People who feel entitlement because they are important, tend to be easily annoyed with family members, or their neighbors and coworkers. Their spouses and children are never good enough, and their friends are never sensitive enough to do the right thing in regards the friendship. Such people are always looking for signs that others are not doing the right thing by them, and are easily offended.

Self-centered people ultimately complain to God, and are unable to see the harm they are doing to their souls, for by demanding everything be according to their own will, they fall deeper into the abyss of self, and into the land of the all powerful ego.

If we recognize ourselves in this description, we need to make a good confession, and embark on the journey toward acquiring a humble and contrite heart. This journey requires that we put other people first, and become sensitive to their needs, before our own. When we have accomplished this, we will be able to pray, as the Lord taught us, "Let Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven".

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Friday November 8, 2013 / October 26, 2013
20^th Week after Pentecost. Tone two.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Holy and Glorious Great-martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher of Thessalonica (306).
Commemoration of the Great Earthquake at Constantinople in 740 A.D.
Venerable Theophilus of the Kiev Caves, bishop of Novgorod (1482).
Martyr Luppos (306).
Venerable Athanasius of Medikion Monastery (814).
Venerable Demetrius of Basarbov in Bulgaria (1685).
Venerable Demetrius (14th c.).
St. Anthony, bishop of Vologda (1588).
St. Cedd, bishop of Lastingham (664) (Celtic & British).
St. Eata, bishop of Hexham and abbot of Lindisfarne (686) (Celtic & British).
Martyr Ioasaph, monk of Mt. Athos, disciple of St. Niphon of Constantinople (1536) (Greek).
St. Alexander Okropiridze, bishop of Guria and Mingrelia, Georgia (1907) (Georgia).
Martyrs Artemidorus and Basil (Greek).
Martyr Leptina (Greek).
Martyr Glycon (Greek).
You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted name.


THANKS 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 for the Day

Philippians 3:8-19

⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
¹⁵ Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. ¹⁶ Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule,^[a] let us be of the same mind.

Our Citizenship in Heaven

¹⁷ Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. ¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

Luke 11:23-26

²³ He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

An Unclean Spirit Returns

²⁴ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ ²⁵ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. ²⁶ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

 I invite my readers to listen to my
Ancient Faith Radio podcasts:
http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/morningoffering