The Morning Offering

Prayer

When prayer becomes dry

When we find ourselves struggling with prayer, and feel that it has become dry and lifeless, we are sometimes tempted to stop praying. When our prayer has become a struggle, it is good to remember that God knows our needs, and even knows what we want to say when we don't seem to know. This is the time we need to just pray without worrying about it. When we find we can't keep our minds focused on the formal morning and evening prayers, as found in our prayer book, it is perfectly acceptable to simply light our lampada (hanging oil lamp), sit quietly before our icons, and let silence be our voice.

God wants to enter into our heart, and requires only our permission and cooperation. This relationship does not require an emotional response, for, like all relationships, we are not always open to an emotional response. Being real with God is far more important than being emotional, since emotions can be contrived and fleshly. As in all relationships, there are times when we do feel moved by emotions, but the lack of such feelings in no way represents a lack of love for God, because God cares for us, and God knows we love him, even when suffering in those dry times.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Saturday August 30, 2014 / August 17, 2014 12th Week after Pentecost. Tone two. Afterfeast of the Dormition. Martyr Myron of Cyzicus (250). Venerable Pimen, archimandrite of Ugresh (1880) New Hieromartyr Alexis priest (1918). New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest (1937). Venerable Alypius the Iconographer of the Kiev Caves (1114). Martyrs Paul and his sister Juliana of Syria (273). Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucius, and Coronatus, with others at Caesarea in Bithynia (250). Martyr Patroclus of Troyes (3rd c.) (Gaul). Martyrs Straton, Philip, Eutychian, and Cyprian of Nicomedia (303). "Svensk" ("of the Kiev Caves") (1288) Icon of the Mother of God. The Armatian Icon of the Mother of God. Venerable Leucius, abbot of Volokolamsk (1492). Venerable Philip, monk of Sukhonsk, Yankovsk (Vologda) (1662). Blessed Theodoretus, enlightener of the Laps (Solovki) (1571). Venerable Ellas of Calabria (903). St. Jeroen, hieromartyr of Noordwijk (857) (Neth.). New Martyr Demetrius of Samarina in Epirus (1808) (Greek).New Hieromartyr Archilleus SirotinSt. Tbeli Abuseridze of Khikhuni, Adjara (13th c.) (Georgia).

You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted name.


"Blogs and social networks give us new opportunities for the Christian mission...Not to be present there means to display our helplessness and lack of care for the salvation of our brothers." His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

The Scripture Readings for the Day

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Glory Only in the Lord

²⁶ For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Matthew 20:29-34

Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight

²⁹ Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. ³⁰ And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”
³¹ Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”
³² So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
³³ They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” ³⁴ So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

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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.

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All-Merciful Saviour Monastery  
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA

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