Our Venerable Fathers Paul of Thebes (312-37) and John the Hut-Dweller (465-74)
2 Peter 1:1-10; Mark 13:1-8
Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat
Read 2 Peter 1:1-10
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
The reception of Mercy is what makes us God’s people, the Letter of Peter today tells us. This should console us since as Eastern Catholics we are a Church of mercy. The most common response throughout our services is “Lord have mercy.” Why do we repeat it once? Because mercy, just like new facts take a while to sink in. We have to repeat it over and over, always coming to a greater awareness of the content of the gift bestowed, nothing less than God himself. God saturates us with his life in the divine liturgy, outpouring his mercy that we petition for in the litanies. This happens through the proclamation of the Gospel, God’s voice is sounded in the midst of the assembly. Then from the altar comes mercy outpoured in the form of bread and wine, the Eucharist is our reception of this mercy tangibly into our bodies.
Such a tactile encounter is something the angels long to gaze upon, but we are told, they shield their face out of reverence. We come face to face with mercy. Being so exposed we cannot but walk away changed. If we don’t feel different after liturgy, we might have to ask ourselves if we were really trying.