Circumcision of Christ and St. Basil the Great - "You were revealed as the sure foundation of the Church, granting all mankind a lordship which cannot be taken away, sealing it with your precepts, venerable Basil, revealer of heaven." (Kontakion Tone 4)

Eve of the Theophany - Strict Fast - After Easter and Pentecost, Theophany is considered the third greatest feast of the Orthodox church, more so even than Christmas. It commemorates the baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The Holy Trinity was revealed to the world. The Father spoke saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Holy Spirit was seen in the form of a dove, hovering over the waters. And John the Baptist bore witness saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Theophany - “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the House of the Lord! God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us!” (The Introit of the Little Entrance)

Today we celebrate the Synaxis in honor of the most sacred Forerunner, since he ministered at the Mystery of the Divine Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"But the Lord said to Samuel, "Have no regard for his outward appearance, nor for the maturity of his stature, because I have refused him.  For man does not see as God sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord sees into the heart."   (1 Kingdoms 16:7)

The Sunday after Theophany is the beginning of Christ’s Ministry. Christ has spent the last 40 days fasting to overcome temptation by the devil. The devil challenges Christ’s relationship to the Father. When the devil came to Him, he said, if Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But Jesus answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil took Him up into the Holy City and sat Him on a pinnacle of the temple. The devil said to Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, it is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil took Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. He said to Jesus, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou will fall down and worship me. Jesus answered, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shall thou serve. Jesus refuses the road of earthly glory, which would lead Him away from His suffering and death for the redemption of the world.

Enlightener Deadline today.

"O Lord, I love the beauty of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells." (Psalm 25:8)David was sometimes forced by persecution into the countries of idolaters and was hindered from attending God's altars, which perhaps his persecutors, that laid him under that restraint, did themselves scold him with as his crime. "But, Lord," says he, "though I cannot come to the habitation of thy house, I love it; my heart is there, and it is my greatest trouble that I am not there." Are you also hindered from attending God's services by persecutors?

“As God, Thou didst rise from the tomb in glory, raising the world with Thyself. Human nature praises Thee as God, for death has vanished! Adam exults, O Master! Eve rejoices, for she is freed from bondage, and cries to Thee: Thou art the Giver of Resurrection to all, O Christ!” (Kontakion - Tone 1)

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 45:10) God will be exalted in the earth and not only in the church. Men will have their own way and do their own will but they need to know that God will be exalted, God will have His way and do His own will.

“Grace shining forth from your lips like a beacon has enlightened the universe; It has shone to the world the riches of poverty; It has revealed to us the heights of humility. Teaching us by your words, O Father John Chrysostom, Intercede before the Word, Christ our God, to save our souls.” (Troparion — Tone 8)

This common feast of these three teachers was instituted a little before the year 1100 because of a dispute and strife that arose among the notable and virtuous men of that time. Some of them preferred Basil, while others preferred Gregory, and yet others preferred John Chrysostom, quarreling among themselves over which of the three was the greatest. The three saints appeared to a monk, John Mauropus, who became Bishop of Euchaita, a city of Asia Minor and revealed to him that the glory they have at the throne of God is equal. They told the Bishop to compose a common service for both of them which he did with great skill.

“Let us who love their words gather together and honor with hymns the three great torch-bearers of the triune Godhead: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. These men have enlightened the world with the rays of their divine doctrines. They are sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom filling all creation with springs of heavenly knowledge. Ceaselessly they intercede for us before the Holy Trinity!” (Troparion — Tone 1)