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 )

Day 02 Advent Devotional Dec 02

Dec 02, 2015

Scripture of the Day: 1 Peter 2:4-5

Thought of the day: Come to the Living Stone

Why should we follow St John’s advice and turn? And to what do we turn? St Peter’s words from his first epistle give us the answer:
“Come to him, a living stone” (1 Peter 2:4-5, NRSV)
St Peter reminds us that our journey is towards a person – Jesus Christ the Living Stone. This is clear from the icon of St John the Baptist as well. St John is depicted with his hands open and pointing towards Christ. So if St John reminds us to turn, he is telling us to turn to Christ.  We should change our course if our present path will not get us towards our goal. In other words if the way that we live now is not taking us closer to Christ then it is time to change our direction.
The title that St Peter ascribes to Christ is a poignant one – “living stone.” Christ is the precious stone upon which we are built. St Peter, the one was titled the rock by Christ, now reveals us to the foundation of his own strength. Furthermore this foundation is not a mythical past but the very present and living person. Our foundation is not a story or principle but the person of Jesus Christ himself. Approaching Christ isn’t something done in the past either. It is a continual return and drawing closer to Christ. The closer we get to Christ the more we realize how much more we need to approach him.
During this advent season let us come to Christ the Living Stone.

Song of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWswqTy2OaE

Icon of the Day:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deesis

Quote of the day:

"So He united man with God and wrought a communion of God and man, we being unable to have any participation in incorruptibility if it were not for His coming to us, for incorruptibility, whilst being invisible, benefited us nothing: so He became visible, that we might, in all ways, obtain a participation in incorruptibility." (St Irenaeus of Lyons, On the Apostolic Preaching, 31)

Day 01 Advent Devotional Dec 01

Scripture of the Day:

St Luke 1: 13-17 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201:13-17)

Thought of the day:

Orthodox Christians observe a season of lent in preparation for the great feast of the birth of our Lord. Why do we fast during this time? What should we do in this season? To find some insights it would be helpful to turn to the Holy Scriptures. We are reminded of the arrival of the advent season on the Sunday of the Annunciation to Zachariah (Luke 1). Here we see the angel Gabriel telling Zachariah of the birth of St John the Baptist. Along with informing Zachariah that he will soon have a son, the angel also tells him the mission of his son. In Verses 13-15 we read about the identity of St John and in verses 16-17 we are told about the work that St John will do. The work of St John centers around one word – Repentance. This one simple message is the mood that we ought to have in the season of Advent.

The angel tells Zechariah that St John “will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God” (v.16). St John turns others to the Lord. In the Old Testament the word used for repentance is “turn”.  For example God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel and said: "But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die" (Ezek 18:21).

The word turn implies a change in direction from the present course. The Advent Lent is a time for us to examine our present path and to see where we need to turn. It is an opportunity for us to realign our spiritual compass. It reminds us of the “turning” that we all did at the time of our baptism. We all faced West and rejected Satan and then turned East (towards the altar) and accepted Christ. We have made a complete 180 degree change from the way of the world to the way of Christ. As we begin the Advent Lent let us resolve to follow the advice of St John and turn to our Lord.  

Song of the Day:

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

Icon of the Day:

https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/icons-of-john-the-baptist-john-the-forerunner/

Quote of the day:

St John Chrysostom:

6. Do you wish that I shall speak of the ways of repentance? They are many, and various, and different, and all lead to heaven. The first way of repentance is condemnation of sins. “Declare thou first thy sins that thou mayest be justified.” Wherefore also the prophet said “I said, I will speak out, my transgression to the Lord, and thou remittedst the iniquity of my heart.” Condemn thyself therefore for thy sins. This is enough for the Master by way of self-defence. For he who condemns his sins, is slower to fall into them again. Awake thy conscience, that inward accuser, in order that thou mayest have no accuser at the judgment seat of the Lord. This is one way of repentance, the best; and there is another not less than this, not to bear a grudge against thine enemies to overcome anger, to forgive the sins of our fellow-servants. For so will those which have been done against the master be forgiven us. See the second expiation of sins: “For if ye forgive” saith he, “your debtors, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Dost thou wish to learn a third way of repentance? Fervent and diligent prayer, and to do this from the bottom of the heart. Hast thou not seen that widow, how she persuaded the shameless judge? But thou hast a gentle Master, both tender, and kind. She asked, against her adversaries, but thou dost not ask against thine adversaries, but on behalf of thine own salvation. And if thou wouldest learn a fourth way, I will say almsgiving. For this has a great power and unspeakable. For Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezzar when he had come to all kinds of evil, and had entered upon all impiety, “O King let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, redeem thy sins by almsgiving and thine iniquities by compassion on the poor.” What could be compared with this lovingkindness? After countless sins, after so many transgressions, he is promised that he will be reconciled with him he has come into conflict with if he will show kindness to his own fellow-servants. And modesty, and humility, not less than all words spoken, exhaust the nature of sins. And the publican is proof, being unable to declare his good deeds, in sight of all, bringing forward his humility, and laying aside the heavy burden of his sins. See we have shewn five ways of repentance: first the condemnation of sins, next the forgiveness of our neighbours’ sins, thirdly that which comes of prayer, fourth that which comes of almsgiving, fifth that which comes of humility. Do not thou then be lazy; but walk in all these day by day.

(Three Homilies Concerning Power of Demons, Homily II: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf109.x.iv.html )

Jesus and the Census

Jesus was born in Bethlehem. This is an aspect of the Christmas story that is universally known. However the gospel writers grappled with the issue of how Christ came to be born in Bethlehem. Jesus grew up in Nazareth. Hebrew scripture though had predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). St. Luke in his narration of the birth of the Messiah suggests that Joseph and Mary, although native to Nazareth had been at Bethlehem at the time of birth of Jesus. They were present at Bethlehem to participate in the census.

Emperor Augustus, the Roman Emperor of the time ordered a massive census effort within the empire. This required all the people to return to their ancestral towns. “Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child (St. Luke 2: 4-5).”

St. Luke’s account of the census of Quirinius has proved problematic for Biblical scholars from the early century onwards. Without delving into the accuracy of the account I would like to connect that event with the decennial practice of taking a census in United States.

2010 is the year for the next census. It is important to get an accurate count of those living in United States of America. An accurate count is important for the allocation of federal and state resources. Historically undercounted areas face the struggle of overcrowded schools and underdeveloped infrastructure.

The churches have a responsibility to exhort their congregants to participate in this census. It is often immigrant population which is reluctant to participate. We should realize that the census effort does not seek to discover the legal status of the person being counted.

Like Joseph and Mary let us make our effort to be counted in the next census.