The Morning Offering

The Middle Way

click on photo to enlarge (the Norwegian barn red cabin is mine)

"Do not turn to the right or to the left (Prov. 4:7)."

Evil is the sickness of the soul, for it deprives the soul of its own healthy nature, which is virtue. Virtues are in the middle between excess and laxness. It is the middle way that keeps us on the road to salvation. This is why we must not allow our thoughts to tilt either to excess or deprivation, for the middle way keeps the heart upright.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon


Saturday January 18, 2014 / January 5, 2014
30^th Week after Pentecost. Tone four.
Fast. Food with Oil
Saturday before the Nativity and before the Baptism of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ
Eve of the Theophany (Kreshchenskyi Sochelnik).
Fast Day.
Martyrs Theopemptus, bishop of Nicomedia, and Theonas (303).
Venerable Syncletica of Alexandria (350).
New Hieromartyr Joseph and with him 37 Martyrs (1921).
Virgin-martyr Eugenia (1933).
New Hieromartyr Sergius priest (1934).
Martyr Matthew (1938).
Venerable Symeon of the Pskov Caves (1960).
Prophet Micah (9th c. B.C.).
Venerable Apollinaris of Egypt (470).
Sts. Phosterius the Hermit and Menas of Sinai (6th c.).
Venerable Gregory of Crete, monk (820).
Martyr Theoidus.
Martyr Sais.
St. Tatiana.
New Monk-martyr Romanus of Carpenision, who suffered at Constantinople(1694).
New Hieromartyr Romanus of Lacedaemonia (1695).
St. Menas of Sinai (6th c.).
Translation of the relicts of St. Rumon, bishop, to Tavistock.

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

Matthew 3:1-11

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’”

⁴ Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹ and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

1 Timothy 3:14

The Great Mystery

¹⁴ These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;

1 Timothy 3:4-5

⁴ one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ⁵ (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 

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