The Morning Offering

Theologians

Philosophers and Theologians

There are only a few Orthodox saints who've been given the honor of being called, "theologians". Saint John the Theologian, and Saint Symeon the New Theologian, to give two examples, were declared Theologians by the Church, because of their theology was the outcome of their having encountered the Living God.

Theologians, in the strict sense of the word, are those who have mastered the art of prayer. Pure theology does not come out of a humanistic, philosophical search for the things of God, but, rather, from an encounter with the Living God. True theology is not the result of a rationalistic, and abstract search for God, but is the result of God's divine grace. This divine grace is God's gift to those who seek Him out with purity of heart, and ascetic struggle. Theology is not about speaking about God, but encountering Him.

Evagrius Ponticus wrote that "If you are a theologian, you will pray truly. And if you pray truly, you are a theologian." (Treatise On Prayer, 61).

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Saturday January 11, 2014 / December 29, 2013
29^th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Sviatki. Fast-free
Saturday after the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ
Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ.
The 14,000 Infants (Holy Innocents) slain by Herod at Bethlehem (1st c.).
Venerable Marcellus, abbot of the monastery of the Unsleeping Ones (485).
St.Basiliscus the Hesychast of Siberia (1824).
New Hieromartyr Theodosius priests (1938)
Virgin-martyrs Natalia, Natalia, Eudokia, Anna, Matrona, Barbara, Anna, Eudokia, Ephrosia, Agrippina and Natalia (1942).
Venerable Mark the Grave-digger of the Kiev Caves (11th c.).
Sts. Theophilus and John of the Kiev Caves (11th-12th c.).
Venerable Theophilus of Luga and Omutch (1412).
Venerable Laurence of Chernigov (1950).
Venerable Thaddeus, confessor, of the Studion (818).
Venerable Benjamin, monk, of Nitria in Egypt (392).
Venerable Athenodorus, disciple of St. Pachomius the Great (4th c.).
St. George, bishop of Nicomedia (9th c.).
St. Trophimus, first bishop of Aries (3rd c.).
Commemoration of all Orthodox Christians who died from hunger, thirst, the sword, and freezing.

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

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.”

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