Orthodox Evangelism

Sharing Orthodoxy with the world around us

Everyone who knows me is aware of my passion for missionary work. My blog, The Morning Offering, was begun as a pastoral and missionary tool. My use of facebook, with over 25,000 “friends” on my Abbot Tryphon page, has been vehicle for my on-line missionary efforts in sharing Orthodoxy. Additionally, I do a Monday through Friday podcast for Ancient Faith Radio (also called The Morning Offering).

I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities God has given me to share Orthodoxy with college and university students, and today’s photos, taken during the young men’s retreat going on at the monastery, demonstrates my commitment to ministering to the young.

Saturday afternoon I drove these young men into the Village of Vashon, where they did our annual “flash mob”, singing Orthodox hymns in a restaurant, a grocery store, and a hardware store, much to the delight of the island community.

Sharing the joy I experience as an Orthodox monk, and as a disciple of Christ, with fellow islanders is a great blessing for me, and I feel blessed that God has called me to be an evangelist for the Orthodox faith. I am doubly blessed to have shared the faith with these outstanding young men, who so powerfully witness to the relevancy of Orthodoxy in today’s world.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Sunday February 26, 2017 / February 13, 2017
The Sunday of Forgiveness. Tone three.
Cheesefare Sunday. Meat is excluded

Venerable Martinian, monk, of Caesarea in Palestine (422).
New Hieromartyrs Basil and Gabriel priests (1919).
New Hieromartyr Silvester (Olshevsky) bishop of Omsk and Pavlodar (1920).
New Hieromartyrs Zosimas, Nicholas, Basil, John, Leontius, Vladimir, Parthenius, John, John, Michael priests and Eugine deacon, and Martyr Paul, Virgin-martyrs Anna, Vera and Irina (1938).
Blessed Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) of Bogucharsk (1950).
The holy woman Zoe of Bethlehem and Virgin Photina (5th c.).
Venerable Eulogius, archbishop of Alexandria (607-608).
Venerable Symeon the Myrrh-gusher, prince of Serbia (1200).
St. Martin the Merciful.
St. Modomnoc, bishop of Ossory (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Apostle and Martyr Aquila, and Priscilla (Greek).
St. Timothy, patriarch of Alexandria (385).
St. Joseph of Volokolamsk (1515).
St. Castor of Karden, hieromonk and missionary (Germany)
St. Ermenhilda, abbes of Ely.
St. Huna, priest-monk of Huneya.
Translation of the relicts of St. Edward the Martyr, King of England.

The Scripture Readings

Mark 16:9-20

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

Jesus Appears to Two Disciples

12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

The Great Commission

14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Christ Ascends to God’s Right Hand

19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Romans 13:11-14:4

Put on Christ

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we firstbelieved. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

The Law of Liberty

14 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

Matthew 6:14-21

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.