Fore-feast of the Annunciation of the Mother of God; Our Venerable Father Zachary; Our Holy Father Artemon, Bishop of Seleucia in Pisidia
Isaiah 28:14-22; Genesis 10:32-11:9; Proverbs 13:19-14:6; Genesis 28:10-17; Ezekiel 43:27-44:4; Proverbs 9:1-11
Great Fast Day 25. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read Proverbs 13:19-14:6
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today we prepare ourselves for one of the most ancient feasts of the Christian Liturgical year: the Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary. As we contemplate the beginnings of our salvation we hear from the Book of Proverbs, written by Solomon and given to us as a prophecy inspired by the Holy Spirit. When the Fathers of the Church read today’s passage they understood it as St. Paul would have also: Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom [sophia] of God.” (1 Cor. 1:24). In other words we understand that the Wisdom and the Word of God are the one and same Divine person who became incarnate for our salvation. Hippolytus says, this about today’s reading: “Christ, the wisdom and power of God the Father, has built his house, that is his nature in the flesh derived from the virgin, even as [John] said before time: ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ (John 1:14). [As likewise the wise prophet Solomon] testifies: Wisdom that was before the world, and is the source of life, the inline ‘wisdom of God, has build her house’ by a mother who knew not man—to wit, as he assumed the temple of the body.” (ANF 5:175).