Categories: hymns, feast-days, spiritual-writings
Date: 23 September 2006 04:46:51
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Conception of the glorious Prophet and Forerunner, John the Baptist, one of the six feasts of St John in the Orthodox church's year [the others being his main feast day [January 7, immediately after the Feast of the Theophany]; the -- to my mind odd, but interesting -- feasts of the First and Second Finding of his Head [February 24] and the Third Finding [May 25]; St John's birth [June 24]; and his Beheading [August 29].
Troparion:
Rejoice, O previously barren one!
For you have conceived the Light of the sun
Who is to illumine the whole universe darkened by blindness.
Rejoice, O Zachariah and cry out with boldness!
For the prophet of the most High desires to be born!
Kontakion:
Zachariah rejoices greatly with his wife Elizabeth,
For she has conceived John the Forerunner!
The angel announced Him in gladness,
And we honour him, proclaiming this blessing!
Reading from the Prologue from Ohrid:
On this day the mercy, miracles and wisdom of God are celebrated: His mercy toward the devout and righteous parents of St. John, the aged Zacharias and Elizabeth, who all their lives had wished for and begged a child from God; His miracle, that of John's conception in the aged womb of Elizabeth; His wisdom, in the dispensation of man's salvation. God had an especially great intention for John: namely, that he be the Prophet and Forerunner of Christ the Lord, the Savior of the world. Through His angels, God announced the births of Isaac to the childless Sarah, Samson to the childless wife of Manoah, and John the Forerunner to the childless Zacharias and Elizabeth. All of these were those for whom He had special intentions, and he foretold their birth through his angels. How could children be born of aged parents? If someone desires to understand this, he should not ask men about it, for men do not know; nor should he study natural law, for this is beyond natural law. Rather, he should turn his gaze upon the power of the Almighty God, Who created the whole world from nothing, and Who needed no parents-old or young-for the creation of the first man, Adam. Instead of being curious, let us give thanks to God, Who often reveals His power, mercy and wisdom to us in ways that are beyond natural law-in which we would be imprisoned without these special miracles of God, and would fall into despair and forgetfulness of God.