Post-feast of Theophany; Blessed Vincent Levoniuk and His Twelve Companions: Nykyta Hrytsiuk, Ivan Andreychuk, Constantine Boyko, Michael Vavryshchuk, Onuphriy Vasyliuk, Philip Kyryliuk, Maxim Havryliuk, Daniel Karmashchuk, Constantine Lukashchuk, Bartholomew Osypiuk, Luke Boyko and Ignatius Franchuk; Martyred at Pratulyn (1871); Our Holy Father Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa (after 394); the Venerable Dometian, Bishop of Miletene (582-602); Our Venerable Father Marcian, Presbyter and Econome of the Great Church (450-57)
A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
Hebrews 12:25-26; 13:22-25; Mark 10:2-12.
Read Hebrews 12:25-26
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
As we conclude the letter to the Hebrews, St. Paul brings forth a further contrast between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The voice of the Lord in the Old Testament was primarily focused on the things of this world, which are passing away, but the voice of the Lord in the New Testament expands into the heavens. Photius puts it this way:
“The one who warned them on earth” can be understood to mean the one promising them earthly things that will pass away: the land flowing with milk and honey, the conquest of enemies, goodly offspring and long life. But from heaven speaks the one who promises heaven itself as an inheritance, who graciously bestows the enjoyment of that unspeakable and eternal glory.
Or “warned them on earth” can be said to mean that bodily purifications pervaded nearly everything of the law given through Moses. But the giving of the law that took place through Christ is a cleansing and illumination of the soul for us. Then “on earth” are the things proclaimed, because they are lowly and applied to the body made of dirt; and the things of the New Testament are “from heaven” because they are divine and exalted and cleanse the soul in a truly divine manner and bear it up into heaven. (Fragments on the Epistle to the Hebrews 12.25.9).
The Lord was preparing the Hebrew people, in the Old Testament, for that which Christ initiates in the New Testament, which is infinitely greater. For this reason St. Paul encourages us to not refuse, or reject, the voice of Him who warns from heaven. This is the privilege we enjoy through Jesus Christ of being citizens of the New Jerusalem in the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.