The Orthodox Church is evangelical, but not Protestant. It is orthodox, but not Jewish. It is catholic, but not Roman. It isn’t non-denominational – it is pre-denominational. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended and died for the Faith of the Apostles since the Day of Pentecost 2000 years ago.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!
Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
Saints of the Day
July 8 / 21. Great-Martyr Procopius of Caesarea in Palestine. St. Procopius, fool-for-Christ, Wonderworker of Ustiug (Vologda). St. Theophilus the Myrrh-gusher of Pantocrator Monastery on Mt. Athos. New-Martyr Anastasius at Constantinople. Righteous Procopius of Usya (Vologda), fool-for-Christ. (Greek Calendar: Martyr Theodosia, mother of Great-Martyr Procopius.) Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Weeping Novgorod Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Of Tender Feeling Peschanskaya Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Photo of the Day
Mount Rainier, as seen from our island.
Quote of the Day
“In Jesus Christ the Son, God is revealed as love “which passeth all understanding.” He, through whom the Holy Trinity has created the world, demonstrates Himself as a man of the flesh, so that the love of the Holy Trinity is manifested to mankind, a love thus far unknown to the world. How did it demonstrate itself? In a manner in which only great love is not shy, as it shows itself for the sake of the salvation of the beloved: by humiliation and kenosis, by service, suffering, and finally by the supreme sacrifice.”
Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic “Kassiana”
Scripture Readings for the Day
1 Corinthians 6:20-7:12
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 7
Principles of Marriage
1 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:
It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. 7 For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.
8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Keep Your Marriage Vows
10 Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.
12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.
Matthew 14:1-13
John the Baptist Beheaded
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
6 But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. 7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
8 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”
9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. 10 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. 11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
Feeding the Five Thousand
13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.