Month: January 2008
…to raise up the image that fell of old!
The beautiful troparion of the Forefeast of Nativity sums up succinctly the purpose of the incarnation of the God-Man, Jesus Christ. One may say, it contains in full our “theology of redemption”. Jesus Christ became man so that our image, which “fell of old” due to the sin of Adam and Eve, and the subsequent… Continue reading …to raise up the image that fell of old!
Today’s Scripture Readings – Royal Hours for the Nativity
Dear all, Today the Holy Church sings the "Royal Hours" for the Nativity of ourLord. Therefore, instead of the "normal" scripture readings I hadlisted in an earlier email, the following festal readings are laid outfor us:Micah 5:2-4; Hebrews 1:1-12; Matthew 1:18-25Baruch 3:36-4:4; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 2:1-20Isaiah 7:10-16; 8:1-4, 8-10; Hebrews 1:10-2:3; Matthew 2:1-12Isaiah 9:6-7; Hebrews… Continue reading Today’s Scripture Readings – Royal Hours for the Nativity
Thoughts on the Holy Scripture -32nd Week After Pentecost – Wednesday
Oil or wine on the menu today. Today’s scripture is a perfect example of the “oil and wine” that our Lord mixes in His teachings to us, which I have mentioned many times, and just recently in the blog. “Oil” is the soothing teachings of Christ, which are meant to console and comfort us, to… Continue reading Thoughts on the Holy Scripture -32nd Week After Pentecost – Wednesday
Thoughts on the scripture readings – Wednesday Jan 2nd
Our Lord says, "whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire,… Continue reading Thoughts on the scripture readings – Wednesday Jan 2nd
Forefeast of Nativity
Greetings to everybody on the first day of the forefeast of the Nativity! Beginning today, the church accelerates her spiritual preparation for the feast: "Dance, O Sion! / Adorn thyself well, O cave! / Make ready, O Bethlehem! / For, lo! The Virgin cometh // to give birth unto the Christ!" — Reader Nicholas ParkSt.… Continue reading Forefeast of Nativity
MENAION: December 20/January 2 – Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer the Bishop of Antioch
The Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, was a disciple of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, as was also St Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (February 23). St Ignatius was the second bishop of Antioch, and successor to Bishop Euodius, Apostle of the Seventy (September 7). Tradition suggests that when St Ignatius was a little… Continue reading MENAION: December 20/January 2 – Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer the Bishop of Antioch
Thoughts on the Holy Scripture -32nd Week After Pentecost – Thursday
Why did our Lord curse the fig tree? Nothing that our Lord did was superfluous, or unplanned. He cursed a barren fig tree precisely to give an opportunity the following day to teach us about faith. Isn’t is marvelous how the Lord so often did not directly answer a question, but instead used it as… Continue reading Thoughts on the Holy Scripture -32nd Week After Pentecost – Thursday