An Invitation to be God’s children
We have been praying most of our lives, but do we ever think about what that means? Have we ever thought how incredible it is that our Creator God has invited us to speak with Him at any time? That the Lord of the Universe has given us the right to speak with Him, to ask for help, to seek His mercy?
There is no greater honor given to humanity than the gift of being able to approach our God in prayer, any hour of the day or night, in every circumstance. In every season we can speak to Him. We can call upon God in our joy or in our anger, and from the depths of despair, we can speak to Him.
It is beyond our human understanding that we have been assured that our God is always listening to us, yet it is true. Our Creator even condescended to join His Divinity with our humanity, becoming incarnate in the flesh, that we might see His face. In Christ, He has revealed Himself to us, and invited us to commune with Him forever.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: Area Orthodox clergy gather at the monastery.
Friday September 5, 2014
13th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Apodosis of the Dormition.
Martyr Lupus (306), slave of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica.
New Hieromartyrs Ephraim, bishop of Selenginsk (1918) and Archpriest John Vostorgov of Moscow (1918) and Martyr Nicholas.
New Hieromartyrs Paul and John priests (1937).
Hieromartyr Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons (202).
Venerables Eutychius (540) and Florentius (547) of Nursia.
St. Callinicus, patriarch of Constantinople (705).
Holy Martyr Ebba the Younger, abbess of Coldingham, Northumbria, and her companions (870) (Celtic & British).
38 Martyrs of Thrace (Greek).
Venerable Nicholas the Sicilian, who struggled on Mt. Neotaka in Euboea (Greek).
Hieromartyr Pothinus, bishop of Lyons (177).
Martyr Victor of Marseilles (3rd c.).
Martyr Tydfil of Merthyr Tydfil.
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
2 Corinthians 11:5-21New King James Version (NKJV)
Paul and False Apostles
5For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested[a] among you in all things.
7Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 9And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Reluctant Boasting
16I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. 17What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. 18Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. 19For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! 20For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. 21To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
Mark 4:1-9
The Parable of the Sower
4 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: 3“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”