Pre-feast of Theophany; the Holy Prophet Malachi (5th c. BC)
The Holy Martyr Gordius (313-24)
The Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
The great reversal: the first coming last and the last first. The message of the Gospel comes at a great time in the arrival of Christmas and Theophany. Both feasts speak of humility. Christ emptying himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men. Again, He empties Himself again, Bowing His head to the Forerunner and asks for baptism. Christ is considered the first and the last, the alpha and the omega. In light of this passage, He can be both because He is the first one to make Himself last. He makes the first move always in His act of loving condescension. Let us drink gladly from the cup of humility, as He says to John, to understand the true meaning of this feast for our lives. If we don’t let ourselves be mastered by humility, we will have a hard time being with the One whose humility is His glory.