The First Sunday of the Blessed Month of Tobe

The Readings of this Day focus on receiving the faith by the Gentiles, and on Him who was born in Bethlehem as He is the hope of humanity. 

Psalms

So, to begin, the Vesper Psalm calls all nations – wherever they may be, and all people whatever races they are – for joy and gladness for the appearance of the King of the whole earth: 

“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph… He is a great King over all the earth.” 

Then comes the Morning Psalm to expound what the characteristics of this King are: that He is a fearful King, everlasting, and mighty in strength: 

“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength… You are from everlasting.” 

Therefore the Liturgy Psalm plainly reveals the message of the Bethlehem-born to the world of idolatry at that time: 

“The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.” 

Vesper and Morning Gospels

Now the Vesper Gospel reveals the downfall of the kingdom of Satan, and the beginning of the end of his power and authority over Man: 

“And demons also came out of many”. 

It also shows the broadening of the preaching of the kingdom so as to include all: 

“But He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also…’” 

Then the Morning Gospel shows the fear and trembling of the devil at His authority: 

“’Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us?…’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’ And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him… ‘What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.’” 

Liturgy Readings

Through his Epistle Saint Paul reveals and clarifies the way of his ministration to the Gentiles, and that he was given grace by God in order to achieve that purpose; for the Gentiles to receive the faith: 

“Because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles… that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit… in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient”. 

He also assures that the acceptance of the Gentiles had been testified by the Prophets: 

And again, Isaiah says: ‘There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.’” 

Note that the word “Gentiles” is repeated for six times, and the same signifying paganisms is repeated for thrice. 

But the Catholicon shows and illustrates that one of the purposes of the divine manifestation is to destroy the works of the devil: 

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 

Also, it reveals the continuity of His divine manifestation among human-beings through us ourselves; through each of the Christians’ way of life: 

“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest”. 

Then through Praxis, Saint Barnabas and Saint Paul both present a report on the open door for the Gentiles to receive the faith; those who did really do so; likewise it announced the joy of the whole church for their conversion: 

“Now when they –Barnabas and Paul- had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles… they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.” 

The Liturgy Gospel

Finally, the Liturgy Gospel concludes with the narration of the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt according to the divine dispensation: so that Egypt could be the first fruit of the Gentiles; that it could be filled with the riches of the presence of the Son of God in it; that the testimony of the Prophets could be fulfilled: “‘Blessed is Egypt My people’” 

“’Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt… that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son’.’”