Wednesday, January 6 / December 24 (Church Calendar)

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him forever!

Saints of the Day

December 24 / January 6. Nun-martyr Eugenia of Rome, and with her Martyrs Philip her father, Protus, Hyacinth (Jacinth), Basilla,and Claudia. St. Nicholas the monk of Bulgaria. St. Antioch, monk of Palestine, and St. Bitimionus of Scete. St. Aphrodisius,monk of Palestine. New-Martyr Achmed (Ahmet) the Calligrapher (or Architect) of Constantinople. (Greek Calendar: Martyr Achaicus.)

Photo of the Day

Myself, together with Cpl. George Makowski, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, attending yet another police funeral. We first met at the funeral of the four fallen police officers, on December 8th.

Cpl. Makowski and I were in the staging area, yesterday, preparing for the long funeral procession, he driving his police car, and me in my fire department vehicle. We decided to have our photos taken together. This demonstrates the bonds of brotherhood in law enforcement, which even crosses borders.

Thought for the Day

The shootings of eight police officers, with six deaths, in less than eight weeks, has left our region reeling, and in a state of shock. Following yesterday’s funeral for Pierce County Deputy Kent Mundell, our emergency responders are exhausted, hurting, and feeling a deep pain. That such absolute evil could visit the Pacific Northwest in such a tragic way, between Halloween and Christmas, is just beyond the pale.

Please remember Kent’s surviving wife, Lisa, their daughter Kirsten, and son Austin, together with his father Walter Kent Mundell Sr. of Belton, Texas; mother Patricia Stafford of Tacoma, Washington; sisters Dixie Smith and Erin Aiken Davis, grandmother Laverne Calloway, in your prayers.

As we begin this year of 2010, may the Lord, in His great mercy, protect those who protect us. Please remember law enforcement officers, the armed forces, our judges, and all who so selflessly serve to make our communities, better places.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Scripture Readings for the Day

Hebrews 1:1-12

God’s Supreme Revelation

¹ God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; ³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The Son Exalted Above Angels

⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say:

“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”?

And again:

“I will be to Him a Father,
And He shall be to Me a Son”?

⁶ But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:

“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

⁷ And of the angels He says:

“Who makes His angels spirits
And His ministers a flame of fire.”

⁸ But to the Son He says:

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

¹⁰ And:

“You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
¹¹ They will perish, but You remain;
And they will all grow old like a garment;
¹² Like a cloak You will fold them up,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not fail.”

Luke 2:1-20

Christ Born of Mary

¹ And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴ ” Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.