The Morning Offering

True Vocation

When we work on strengthening our relationship with God, our love increases for all those around us. By deepening our faith we diminish the estrangement between ourselves and others, while increasing the bond between ourselves and God. This is our true vocation, that we decrease while Christ increases.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Beloved friends and benefactors:

The Monastery is in need of a newer vehicle. After many years and well over 200,000 miles our venerable old van lost it's transmission on Pascha Day, and was deemed beyond repair by our mechanic, because of it's age.

Please, if you can, would you consider helping us obtain a used 2006 Toyota station wagon that has become available for only $13,000.00. With very low mileage, this is the best vehicle we have been able to find, and we'd like to move on it as quickly as possible. Our monthly budget is somewhat stable but does not allow any capital expenses. Even $30 per reader would reach our goal.

Thanks to your generosity, we have now reached the halfway point in our goal to raise the money needed.

Saturday May 3, 2014 / April 20, 2014
Second Week of Pascha. Tone one.

Venerable Theodore Trichinas ("the Hair-shirt Wearer"), hermit near Constantinople (400).
New Hieromartyr Theodosius, bishop of Kolomensk (1937).
Translation of the relics (1991) of St. Nicholas (Velimirovich) of Ochrid and Zhicha (1956) from America to Serbia.
Venerable Alexander (Oshevensky), abbot, near Onega Lake (1479).
Child-martyr Gabriel of Slutsk (Poland) (1690).
Sts. Gregory (593) and Anastasius (599), Patriarchs of Antioch.
Venerable Anastasius, abbot of Sinai (685).
St. Nicholas (Velimirovich), bishop of Ochrid and Zhicha, Serbia (1956) (Serbia).
"Cyprus" (392) and "Keepiazh" Icons of the Mother of God.
Venerables Athanasius (1380) and Ioasaph (1423) of Meteora, abbots.
Apostle Zacchaeus, bishop of Caesarea (1st c.).
Sts. Betran and Theotimus I, bishop of Tomis in Scythia Minor (410) (Romania).
St. Caedwalla, king of the West Saxons (689) (Celtic & British).
Blessed Anastasius I (599), patriarch of Antioch.
Hieromartyr Anastasius II, patriarch of Antioch (610).
You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted name.


The Scripture Readings for the Day

Acts 5:21-33

²¹ And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Apostles on Trial Again

²² But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, ²³ saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” ²⁴ Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. ²⁵ So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”
²⁶ Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. ²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, ²⁸ saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
²⁹ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. ³¹ Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

John 6:14-27

¹⁴ Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus Walks on the Sea

¹⁵ Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
¹⁶ Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷ got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. ¹⁸ Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. ¹⁹ So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. ²⁰ But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” ²¹ Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

The Bread from Heaven

²² On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— ²³ however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— ²⁴ when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. ²⁵ And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”
²⁶ Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ²⁷ Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”



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


All-Merciful Saviour Monastery is a monastery of the Western American Diocese, under the omophor of His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America. The Monastery is a non-profit 501 C3 organization under IRS regulations. All donations are therefore tax deductible. We depend on the generosity of our friends and benefactors. You can donate to the monastery through PayPal, or by sending donations directly to the monastery's mailing address.
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA

Abbot Tryphon's email address:
frtryphon@vashonmonks.com