The Feast of the Revelation of the Holy Trinity
Our Holy Church commemorates Theophany as the time when Saint John the Forerunner baptized his cousin, our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, in the River Jordan. The Tropar or hymn for the Feast of Theophany tells us that the worship of the Holy Trinity was made manifest for all time. God, the Logos, Who had become Flesh, and joined Himself to His Creation through His baptism in the river was revealed as the second Person of the One Holy and Consubstantial Trinity. He revealed Himself, by His holy baptism, as the Way and Truth and Life for us. This was the baptism of all Creation in Christ, to be fulfilled in the baptism that we experience in the Orthodox Church.
The word Theophany literally means a “revelation of God” in Greek (Θεοφάνεια; the Russian is Богоявление). Jesus Christ had already revealed Himself many times through theophanies in the Old Testament, such as to Moses on Mount Sinai, and to Abraham as the lead visitor at the Oak of Mamre. However, this Theophany early in Christ’s public ministry is in effect known as the Feast of Theophany because it came following His Incarnation on earth. By His baptism He bestowed a blessing upon all of us creatures, and upon the whole of creation.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Wednesday January 19, 2022 / January 6, 2022
31st Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
The Holy Theophany of Our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ (Baptism of the Lord).
Repose of St. Theophan the Recluse, bishop of Tambov (1894).
Hieromartyr Romanus, monk of Lacedemonia, beheaded by the Turks (1695) (Greek).
New Hieromartyr Archpriest Andrew Zimin, his wife Lydia, his mother-in-law Domnica, his two daughters and his servant Maria, of Ussurisk (1919).
St. John (1942).
Venerable Laurence of Chernigov (1950).
The Scripture Readings
Mark 1:9-11
John Baptizes Jesus
9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Titus 2:11-14
Trained by Saving Grace
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Titus 3:4-7
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Matthew 3:13-17
John Baptizes Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and [a]He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
1 Corinthians 10:1-4
Old Testament Examples
10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
Mark 1:9-11
John Baptizes Jesus
9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens [b]parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”