[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sun Jan 6 05:00:16 CST 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sun Jan 6 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Mark 1:9-11  (Matins Gospel)
9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of
Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens
parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
11 Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased."
Scripture Reading 1 of 3

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Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7  (Epistle)
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should
live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great
God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless
deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good
works.
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man
appeared,
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs
according to the hope of eternal life.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3

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Matthew 3:13-17  (Gospel)
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized
by him.
14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by
You, and are You coming to me?"
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for
thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he
allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the
water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Scripture Reading 3 of 3

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Feast of the Theophany of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Theophany is the Feast which reveals the Most Holy Trinity to the
world through the Baptism of the Lord (Mt.3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke
3:21-22). God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son, the Son was
baptized by the St John the Forerunner, and the Holy Spirit descended
upon the Son in the form of a dove. From ancient times this Feast was
called the Day of Illumination and the Feast of Lights, since God is
Light and has appeared to illumine "those who sat in darkness," and
"in the region of the shadow of death" (Mt.4:16), and to save the
fallen race of mankind by grace.
In the ancient Church it was the custom to baptize catechumens at the
Vespers of Theophany, so that Baptism also is revealed as the
spiritual illumination of mankind.
The origin of the Feast of Theophany goes back to Apostolic times, and
it is mentioned in The Apostolic Constitutions (Book V:13). From the
second century we have the testimony of St Clement of Alexandria
concerning the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, and the night
vigil before this Feast.
There is a third century dialogue about the services for Theophany
between the holy martyr Hippolytus and St Gregory the Wonderworker. In
the following centuries, from the fourth to ninth century, all the
great Fathers of the Church: Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom,
Ambrose of Milan, John of Damascus, commented on the Feast of
Theophany.
The monks Joseph the Studite, Theophanes and Byzantios composed much
liturgical music for this Feast, which is sung at Orthodox services
even today. St John of Damascus said that the Lord was baptized, not
because He Himself had need for cleansing, but "to bury human sin by
water," to fulfill the Law, to reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity,
and finally, to sanctify "the nature of water" and to offer us the
form and example of Baptism.
On the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, the Holy Church proclaims our
faith in the most sublime mystery, incomprehensible to human
intellect, of one God in three Persons. It teaches us to confess and
glorify the Holy Trinity, one in Essence and Indivisible. It exposes
and overthrows the errors of ancient teachings which attempted to
explain the Creator of the world by reason, and in human terms.
The Church shows the necessity of Baptism for believers in Christ, and
it inspires us with a sense of deep gratitude for the illumination and
purification of our sinful nature. The Church teaches that our
salvation and cleansing from sin is possible only by the power of the
grace of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is necessary to preserve
worthily these gifts of the grace of holy Baptism, keeping clean this
priceless garb, for "As many as have been baptized into Christ, have
put on Christ" (Gal 3:27).
On the day of Theophany, all foods are permitted, even if the Feast
falls on a Wednesday or Friday.
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Venerable Macarius of Mt. Athos
Saint Macarius was born in Thessalonica during the reign of Emperor
Manuel II Paleologos, and went to Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos when
he was young. Later, he went to Constantinople and became igumen of
the Monastery of the Pantokrator, and chaplain to the Emperor.
He died in 1431 during an epidemic in Chalke.
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