Saturday before Theophany; Synaxis of the Seventy Holy Apostles; Our Venerable Father Theoctistus, Hegumen of the Cucomo Monastery in Sicily.
1 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Matthew 3:1-11.
Read 1 Timothy 3:14-4:5
How beautiful, brothers and sisters, is this time of year with our Christmas carols! With the singing of these timeless carols, we encounter once again “God eternal” who is with us and emptied Himself for us! The beautiful music written for these hymns and carols is at the service of the theology of the season. In other words, these melodies are meant to “make the meaning stick” in our minds and hearts about who God is and what He has done!
St. Paul in the middle of our epistle reading today, also references an ancient Christian hymn which relays the saving mission of Christ, mentioning His Incarnation, vindication through the cross, preaching and Ascension. Even here, in the early Christian witness of the epistles, we see the need for beautiful, reverent and theologically sound music at the service of the life-saving message of the gospel!
St. John Chrysostom writes:
Here he speaks of the economy of salvation given to us. Tell me not of the bells, nor of the holy of holies, nor of the high priest. The church is the pillar of the world. Consider this mystery, and you may be struck with awe. For it is indeed a “great mystery,” and a “mystery of godliness,” and that is “without controversy” or question, for it is beyond all doubt. (Homilies on 1 Tim 11)