Table of Contents
Readings
- Vespers: Psalms 77:18, 19 & John 5:1 – 18
- Matins: Psalms 97:4, 6 & John 3:1 – 21
Liturgy
- Pauline epistle: Hebrews 10:19 – 39
- Catholic epistle: 1 John 4:11 – 21
- Praxis: Acts 2:38 – 45
- Psalm & Gospel: Psalms 66:8, 12 & John 3:22 – 36
Introduction
“’Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, You and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” (Acts 16:31 – 33).
“There is also an antitype which now saves us-baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ”. (1 Peter 3:21).
[The only-begotten God, came to the Jordan and the portrait that was destroyed and died by sin, He renewed it once again, by the baptism of water] (a Doxology for Theophany).
Observations on the Readings of the Day
The Morning Gospel reading of the Day (John 3:1 – 21) is itself that of the Liturgy of Paope 14. Also it is somewhat like the Morning Gospel Reading for the second day of the Feast of the Cross (John 3:14 – 21). This is the Reading that talks about baptism.
For this Day and that of Paope 14- it comes to focus on the Lord’s meeting with Nicodemus, and the discourse on baptism (Verses 1 – 14).
Yet for the second day of the Feast of the Cross it comes for to talk of the cross so as to be likened to the brass serpent.
The Catholicon Reading of the Day (1 John 4:11 – 21) is similar to that of (1 John 4:15 – 21) for Mesore 29 (Martyrdom of Athanasius the Bishop). It also is somewhat like that of (1 John 4:15 – 5:1 – 4) For Koiahk 30 – and for the third Sunday of Pashons. Similar to them is the Catholicon Reading (1 John 4:7 – 19) for Pashons 24.
Here the talk is about the missionary of the Son of God for the salvation of the world and the Gentiles in particular (Pashons 24 – third Sunday of Tobe), about confessing Christ without fear (Martyrdom of Athanasius the Bishop), also about those who are born of God (the day after Christmas – Commemoration of Saint Yoannis Qom Shehit) on Koiahk 30. But it comes for the third Sunday of Pashons to show that confessing Christ and abiding in His love are together but the doorway to the blessings of salvation.
The verse “We went through fire and through water” is repeated in both of the Liturgy Psalms for this Day and of Pashons 10 –for the commemoration of the Three Saintly Young Men. For this Day it comes to imply baptism (by going through water); the subject of this Sunday Reading. But for Pashons 10, it is read to point at going through fire: thus signifying the suffering of passions for the sake of faith.
The Liturgy Gospel Reading of the Day (John 3:22 – 36) is similar to (John 3:22 – 29) for the Morning of Tobe 10 (Theophany Paramoun).
An extract of the same, (John 3:25 – 29) is read for the Morning of Paone 2 (Memorial of finding the bones of John the Baptist). Here the talk is of John the Baptist the friend of the Bridegroom. Besides, the Reading, through the added verses (22 – 24), tells about the baptism of John and the Lord’s baptism.
For this Day, the talk is about baptism; and the added verses talk about the gift of the Holy Spirit given to us by Christ to whom be glory, having been baptized by John: (Topic of this Sunday Reading).
Explanation of the Readings
When the Lord had revealed His salvation to the Gentiles on the first Sunday, choosing Egypt to be the first fruit of the nations to receive the blessings… and after the joy that the nations had in His Divine Manifestation, so coming to Him from the ends of the world on the second Sunday… came the third Sunday to open the door of acceptance and to prepare the way for all peoples to receive the divine blessings through “repentance and baptism”.
So this Sunday Readings focus on repentance and baptism as starting points of making fellowship with God, and receiving eternal life.
Psalms
To begin comes the Vesper Psalm to reveal the illumination of the world with Divine lightning and the manifestation of the Incarnate Word, and His way and path through the water of baptism:
“The lightnings lit up the world… Your path in the great waters”.
Then comes the Morning Psalm to tell how all the peoples see His divine glory:
“And all the peoples see His glory. His lightnings light the world”.
As for the Liturgy Psalm, it embodies what happens through baptism by the work of the fire of the Holy Spirit in the waters; that we may enter into the divine rest. It is a call for all the peoples to praise the Lord and glorify Him:
“We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment. Oh, bless our Lord, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard”.
Vesper and Morning Gospels
Now the Vesper Gospel speaks about humanity that is lying down, waiting for an angel to move the water. So, healing a man after moving the water is a sign of the New Testament baptism including the water that moves by the work of the Holy Spirit, giving healing and resurrection:
“In these lay a great multitude of sick people… waiting for the moving of the water… then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had… Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk.’ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.”
Then through the Morning Gospel, the Lord plainly reveals the second birth, that which comes out of water and the Spirit; thus calling everyone to come for the feast of the divine love given by the cross and the gift of healing of sin – as He had of old healed the people of the bites of serpents:
“Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God… And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up… For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’”
Liturgy Readings
Now the Pauline Epistle assures the importance of repentance; as continual repentance is but the renewal of the work of baptism. Also, Saint Paul warns of the graveness of drawing back from grace. He calls us to be diligent in seeking the life of repentance; to endure temptations too:
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water… And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works… But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings… ‘Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”
Then the Catholicon commands all those who by baptism have received the new nature, to live and grow in the love of God, and to abide in Him:
“By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit… And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God… We love Him because He first loved us… And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”
Meanwhile, the Praxis -through Saint Peter- declares the call of the church along all ages – for everyone to receive faith and membership in the body of Christ, through repentance and baptism. He also shows the work of the grace of the Holy Spirit in preaching:
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children…’ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”
Liturgy Gospel
So the Liturgy Gospel ends up by telling of the Baptist and how he had prepared the souls for the true Bridegroom, and of his true testimony of the baptism of the Son of God, the giver of life everlasting:
“And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified-behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!’… ‘… You yourselves bear me witness that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’… For God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life…’”.
After all, you may marvel as you learn that the Readings of the Days of Tobe which are to come after Theophany Feast, on which John bears witness of Christ to whom be glory – that He is the Bridegroom –also speak about Christ the Bridegroom, and the wedding He has prepared for humanity. It was the age of divine manifestation which was known and distinguished by the joy of all humanity in their heavenly Bridegroom.
Readings for These Days
Following the Feast of Theophany, the fulfillment of the ministration of John Baptist –the friend of the Bridegroom-, the joy fulfilled by the baptism of the Lord, the opened heaven, the manifestation of the glory of the Son of God, and the start of the heavenly marriage (Theophany Feast Readings), we directly come to the wedding of Cana in Galilee (Liturgy Gospel), where God is present. Then we wait for the Lord when He returns from the wedding (on the Commemoration of Abba Antonius – Liturgy Gospel). After that is the wedding of the woman, into which, those who are ready enter (Liturgy Gospel). Finally comes the call for entering into the heavenly joy and wedding (on the Commemoration of Abba Paul – Morning Gospel).
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice.” (Morning Gospel for Theophany Paramoun).
“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.” (Liturgy Gospel for the wedding in Cana of Galilee).
“’And you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately…’” (Tobe 22 – Liturgy Gospel– Commemoration of Abba Antonius).
“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.” (Tobe 30 – Liturgy Gospel – Commemoration of Pistis, Helpis and Agape).
“’… You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” (Meshir 2 – Morning Gospel – Commemoration of Abba Paul).
Thus, it is He who is the Bridegroom of all humanity (Theophany Feast); He is coming from the wedding (Abba Antonius), inviting us to the wedding (Abba Paul)… making a wedding on our land (The Wedding of Cana in Galilee); and is going to take us into the eternal wedding (Pistis, Helpis, and Agape).
Summary of the readings
The way for the world to be illuminated with the glory of God is to be dyed in fire and water; that is, baptism (Vesper Psalm – Praxis).
It is the hope of all those who are lying down by reason of sin, waiting for the visitation of the Son of God (Vesper Gospel).
It is the call of the divine love from the Father to everyone for receiving everlasting life (Morning Gospel).
This has the Bridegroom of mankind given; just as the Baptist had testified (Liturgy Gospel).
It is always called for by the church (Praxis).
Its work and effect is renewed by the continuity of repentance (Pauline Epistle),
And by perfectness of love (Catholicon).