Feast of the Theophany of our Lord
Categories: feast-days
Date: 05 January 2005 13:22:47
Readings: Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 and Matthew 3:13-17.
One of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church. A great event in Christ's life to ponder: the time when Christ, as St John Chrysostom said in one of his sermons, "made Himself known to all .... when He was baptised. Until this time He was not known to the people." With the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, and the voice of the Father from heaven, 'This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased', Jesus is revealed, and the world was also granted a revelation, through the Three Persons being manifested together, of the Trinity.
St John Chrysostom, in the sermon linked to above, also gives two reasons for Christ's baptism. The first, that Christ be known to the people:
But when all the people thronged out from all the cities to Jordan and remained on the banks of the river, and when He Himself came to be baptised and received the testimony of the Father by a voice from above and by the coming-upon of the Spirit in the form of a dove, then the testimony of John about Him was made beyond all questioning.And the second, the "humility of the Master", to 'fulfill every righteousness' (Mt 3:15); to fulfill the commandments.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
| When You, O Lord were baptized in the Jordan The worship of the Trinity was made manifest For the voice of the Father bore witness to You And called You His beloved Son. And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, Confirmed the truthfulness of His word. O Christ, our God, You have revealed Yourself And have enlightened the world, glory to You! Troparion | Today You have shown forth to the world, O Lord, and the light of Your countenance has been marked on us. Knowing You, we sing Your praises. You have come and revealed Your-self, O unapproachable Light. Kontakion |