Theophany
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Also known as the Feast of
Lights
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Thursday January 19, 2012 / January 6, 2012
Repose of St. Theophan the Recluse, bishop of Tambov (1894).
Hieromartyr Romanus, monk of Lacedemonia, beheaded by the Turks (1695) (Greek).
New Hieromartyr Archpriest Andrew Zimin, his wife Lydia, his mother-in-law Domnica, his two daughters and his servant Maria, ofUssurisk (1919).
St. John (1942).
Venerable Laurence of Chernigov (1950).
I wish to thank those of you who have been contributing towards the principle of our mortgage ($250,000.00). For those of you who can't donate due to the depressed economy, please remember to pray for the monastery. It would be such a great blessing if we were able to retire the mortgage debt altogether.
Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA
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.”
The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior
Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on January 6 (18 New Style). The Feast commemorates
the Baptism of Christ and the divine revelation of the Holy Trinity.
At the Baptism of Christ, all three Persons of the Holy Trinity—Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit—were made manifest. Thus, the name of
the Feast is Theophany, meaning
manifestation of God.
John the Baptist, the one chosen by
God
to proclaim His coming, was preaching in the wilderness
and baptizing all who responded to his message calling for repentance.
As he was doing this, John was directing the people toward
the one
who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit (Matthew
3:11).
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus came from Galilee to John at
the Jordan to be baptized by him. Initially, John would not do this,
saying that Jesus should baptize him. Jesus said to John, “Let
it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all
righteousness (3:15). John consented and baptized Jesus.
When Jesus came up from the water, the heavens opened suddenly,
and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. The Bible records that the
Spirit descended like a dove and alighted on him. When this happened,
a voice came from heaven and said, “This is my Son, the Beloved,
with whom I am well pleased.” This was the voice of God the
Father.
Christ’s baptism in the Jordan was “theophany,”
a manifestation of God to the world, because it was the beginning
of our Lord’s public ministry. It was also a “theophany”
in that the world was granted a revelation of the Holy Trinity.
All three Persons were made manifest together: the Father testified
from on high to the divine Sonship of Jesus; the Son received His
Father’s testimony; and the Spirit was seen in the form of
a dove, descending from the Father and resting upon the Son.
The theme of “manifestation” or “revelation”
is also expressed in Scripture with the symbolism of light. In the
hymn of the Feast we sing, “Christ has appeared and enlightened
the world.” Thus, January 6 is also known as the Feast of
Lights. The Church celebrates on this day the illumination of the
world by the light of Christ.
Abbot Tryphon
Thursday January 19, 2012 / January 6, 2012
32nd Week after Pentecost. Tone six.
The Holy Theophany of Our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ (Baptism of the Lord).Repose of St. Theophan the Recluse, bishop of Tambov (1894).
Hieromartyr Romanus, monk of Lacedemonia, beheaded by the Turks (1695) (Greek).
New Hieromartyr Archpriest Andrew Zimin, his wife Lydia, his mother-in-law Domnica, his two daughters and his servant Maria, ofUssurisk (1919).
St. John (1942).
Venerable Laurence of Chernigov (1950).
I wish to thank those of you who have been contributing towards the principle of our mortgage ($250,000.00). For those of you who can't donate due to the depressed economy, please remember to pray for the monastery. It would be such a great blessing if we were able to retire the mortgage debt altogether.
Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA
1 Corinthians 10:1-4
Old Testament Examples
1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.Mark 1:9-11
John Baptizes Jesus
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.”
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