Our Venerable Mother Macrina, Sister of Saint Basil the Great (379). Our Venerable Father Dios (c. 431).
Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
1 Corinthians 14:26-40. Matthew 21:12-14, 17-20.
Read 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
The power of words. The different words or tongues in the church aim to edify, that is, build up the body of Christ. Consider the gift of prophecy. We shouldn’t think the first century church was filled with tarot card readers and psychics. Christian prophecy is of a different character from the genre of ancient oracle. Christian prophecy is speaking a true statement about Christ. The Old Testament prophets do precisely this, sketching in figures and shadows the one who is to come. We prophesy in our mouth when we open our mouths to sing the divine liturgy. The hymn of the incarnation puts before our eyes the true nature of Christ: “O Only begotten Son and Word of God, who, being immortal, deigned for our salvation to become incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary.” The liturgy sings prophecy. We can build up the body of Christ by continuing this conversation after the liturgy, talking about the gospel and the hymns we have just heard.