Day 16 Advent Devotional Dec 16

Dec 16, 2015

Scripture of the Day:  

                Isaiah 52:7-10 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2052:7-10)

Thought of the day: Joy as wellspring of worship

                In today’s scripture portion God commands his people to “Break forth together into singing” (Isaiah 52:9). God also provides the reason why people will sing together. The joy of knowing the gospel compel the people to worship. It should be noted that the prophet is referring to a corporate worship. One of the defining features of Orthodox faith is its emphasis on corporate worship. In fact this is evident in a place like Albany. If we were to go to any of the Orthodox churches on a Sunday morning we would find believers gathered together and doing very similar actions. While the particular gestures, symbols, language and vestments might be distinguishable, the essential “work” of the Liturgies is the same (the word liturgy means the work of the people). The wellspring of this common “work” is the joy that the believers share in knowing that Lord has returned to Zion (Isaiah 52:8).

Song of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdsmsgm0zeA

Icon of the Day:

                Icon of the transfiguration: https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/transfiguration-icon-the-event-and-the-process/

Quote of the day:

               

How lovely are Your dwelling places, O LORD of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Psalm 84:1-2

Day 03 - Advent Devotional- Dec 03

Dec 03, 2015

Scripture of the Day: Isaiah 9:1-7

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+9%3A1-7&version=NRSV

Thought of the day: Jesus The Christ

Who are we approaching? We began the Advent Lent by turning to Jesus Christ. As Christians we are so used to such expressions that they have even become cliché. Let us spend a few days meditating on the identity of Jesus. We ought to reexamine the scriptures to assist us in this meditation. The Gospel of St Matthew opens by declaring “An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Let us reflect on the title Messiah.

St John the Theologian teaches us that “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1). Why is it important to believe that Jesus is the Christ? The Greek word Christos means anointed one (Messiah is simply the Hebrew equivalent). The most basic Christian confession is that Jesus is the Christ. When we confess this we are confessing Jesus to be one who is spoken of by the prophets.

The prophecy given through Isaiah in chapter 9 clarifies Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. It says that “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—    on them light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2). The messiah brings light to darkness. In fact the messiah is light. Often our lives are covered in darkness. We are often stumbling in this gloomy existence. It is into such a bleak world that the bright light of the Christ shines. This is why one of the symbols of Christmas season is a star. Just as the star guided the wise men on their journey, Christ guides us on our journeys too.

Song of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah_XPrnnob0

Icon of the Day:

https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/jesus-christ-the-icon-of-the-father/

Quote of the day:

Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed; He had the power; He descended; He redeemed; all things yielded in obedience to God. This day He Who is, is Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassability, remaining unchanged. – St John Chrysostom Homily on Nativity (http://www.antiochian.org/node/21955 )