Why Do We Have Our Homes Blessed? THE THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD From Scripture we know that whatever God created was good, but with "the Fall", evil entered the world, corrupting the crea- AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST tion. God the Father sent His Son Jesus to save it by effecting a "new creation". This is celebrated at Theophany, specifically Ἀγία Θεοφάνεια τοῦ Κυρίου with the Great Blessing of Water. "The consecration of the waters on this feast places the entire world - through its 'prime element' of water - in the perspective of the cosmic creation, 6 JANUARY (6 Ιανουαρίου) 2013 sanctification, and glorification of the Kingdom of God in Christ and the Spirit." (The Orthodox Faith, Vol. II, Worship, by Fr. Thomas Hopko, p.127.) All the readings, hymns, prayers, and actions of the day speak of God's presence in our entire world and universe, His creation. Through water, all of the creation is once again sanctified by God, becoming good again, the way God had intended. The Feast of Theophany The Feast of Theophany (or Epiphany) commemorates the Baptism of our Lord in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. We know from the troparion of the day that "the Trinity was made manifest" to us. But there's more to it than this. "When Je- sus descends into the depths of the river, there occurs a profound upheaval. It is not the one baptized who is purified, for he is spotless, but it is the water that is trans- figured and illumined. This water, which was believed to be transparent and purify- ing, is in fact polluted, inhabited by evil spirits, servants of the old gods. … By purifying the elements, by sanctifying matter, Jesus frees the cosmos from the pow- ers of evil." (The Incarnate God, Vol. I, Catherine Aslanoff, French edition editor, translated by Paul Meyendorff, p.163.) The Great Blessing of Water and the Home The Great Blessing of Water takes place at the end of today's Liturgy. Since our homes cannot be brought to the Church, the Church - through the priest and cantor - goes to the homes. There the service of blessing, which began in the church, is fin- ished with the sprinkling of water in the home. Traditionally, in most Orthodox parishes, the priest personally visits all his parishioners each year to pray with them in the place where they live, and to bless their surroundings with the newly sancti- fied water of Theophany. By sanctifying our living quarters, our private place, we extend the grace of God to our individual dwellings. The Baptism of Christ, Holy Feast of Theophany, Vatopaidi Monastery, Mt. Athos We also bring the blessed water to our homes to use throughout the year to bless our homes and to drink whether we are ill or as part of our daily prayer life. "There SAINT BARBARA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH are many occasions in family life when a sip of holy water can help to remind us of the blessing that was given 'to bestow sanctification', 'unto healing of soul and We are a Greek (Eastern) Orthodox parish, body', 'to be a fountain welling forth unto life eternal', as the priest prayed in the part of the oldest Christian tradition, litany of Epiphany day." (Little Falcons: Water, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1998, p.33.) dating to 33 A.D., the Day of Pentecost. What does it mean to ask God to bless something? All things in the world have We trace our roots back to the Apostles and their teachings. been spoiled right along with us. God must bless His world again in order for it to be the way that He wants it to be. For this reason, God sent His Son Jesus and the We hold fast to the moral, theological and liturgical Holy Spirit to the world to bless everyone and everything that He made, to make all traditions of the Early Christian Church. things good again. When the priest comes to bless our homes, he asks God to have We are pleased that you have chosen to experience the mercy on the house, to rid it of every evil and to fill it with every blessing. What a wonderful way to begin the New Year! Phyllis Meshel Onest, M.Div. worship of Early Christianity in a modern setting. WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH The Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Tone of the week: Tone One TO OUR SAINT BARBARA VISITORS GUIDELINES FOR RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION Festal Eothinon Thank you for visiting Saint Barbara Church. We pray your time at worship is A Note about the Hymns of the Day encouraging and uplifting. The Orthodox Church has always held the Eucharist as the culmination of our spiritual relationship with Christ. Because of this, if you Because the beautiful hymns in today’s Divine Liturgy, the Apolytikion are not a baptized Orthodox Christian or have not been received by the Church by and Kontakion of the day and Troparion of the Church, are frequently sung means of Holy Chrismation, we ask that you observe during communion this in Greek, we include them in English for your understanding. They are morning. sung as the priest returns to the Sanctuary at the Conclusion of the Small Please feel free to come up at the end of the service and receive some blessed Entrance. bread from the priest. While this is not considered the Eucharist, it is our way of assuring no one leaves church 'hungry'. Should you desire to learn more about the Apolytikion for The Theophany of Our Lord Orthodox Church, please call the Church office to arrange an appointment with and Saviour Jesus Christ (in the First Tone) Father Stavroforos. Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the veneration of Note: The Communion Hymn is on page 97 in the Divine Liturgy Hymnal. the Trinity was revealed. For the voice of the Father gave wit- CHRISMATION NAMES & NAME DAYS ness to You, calling You Beloved, and the Spirit, in the guise of a dove, confirmed the certainty of His words. Glory to You, In Orthodox countries, at Baptism (or Chrismation, if an adult) you are given a Christ our God, who appeared and enlightened the world. - © Christian Saint’s name. This is the name you give to the priest when receiving Narthex Press communion. The name is a Christian Saint’s name, because God recognizes their Ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ βαπτιζομένου σου Κύριε, ἡ τῆς Τριάδος ἐφανερώθη names. Each Saint is celebrated on a particular day, the Saint’s Name Day. When you receive your name, your Saint’s Name Day becomes your Name Day. In lieu προσκύνησις, τοῦ γὰρ Γεννήτορος ἡ φωνὴ προσεμαρτύρει σοί, ἀγαπητὸν σὲ of birthdays, especially after the age of twelve, Orthodox Christians celebrate their Υἱὸν ὀνομάζουσα, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐν εἴδει περιστεράς, ἐβεβαίου τοῦ λόγου Name Day. τὸ ἀσφαλές. Ὁ ἐπιφανεῖς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, καὶ τὸν κόσμον φωτίσας δόξα σοί. ‐ © Greek Standard Text For those celebrating a Name Day this week we wish you Chronia Polla “Many years” Apolytikion for Saint Barbara "Let us honor the Holy Martyr Barbara, for as a bird she es- caped the snares of the enemy, and destroyed them through the help and defense of the Cross." - Antiochian Archdiocese & OCA ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013, WE COMMEMORATE: Βαρβάραν τὴν Ἁγίαν τιμήσωμεν, ἐχθροῦ γὰρ τὰς παγίδας συνέτριψε, καὶ ὡς στρουθίον ἐρρύσθη ἐξ St. Theophan the Recluse αὐτῶν, βοηθεία καὶ ὅπλω τοῦ Σταυροῦ ἡ Πάνσεμνος. St. Barbara, early 11th c. mosaic in the Katholikon (Cathedral Church) of Hosios Loukas Monastery near Distomo in Boeotia, Greece Kontakion in the Fourth Tone You appeared to the world today, and Your light, O Lord, has left its mark upon us. A BLESSED With fuller understanding we sing to You: "You came, You were made manifest, the unapproachable light." - © Narthex Press THEOPHANY TO ALL! Ἐπεφάνης σήμερον τὴ οἰκουμένη, καὶ τὸ φῶς σου Κύριε, ἐσημειώθη ἐφʹ Glowing Candle by Susan Blackwood ἡμᾶς, ἓν ἐπιγνώσει ὑμνούντάς σε. Ἦλθες ἐφάνης τὸ Φῶς τὸ ἀπρόσιτον. EPISTLE READING GOSPEL READING The Reading is from Matthew 3:13-17 The Reading is from Saint Paul's Letter to Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 The Theophany of Our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ St. Paul ordaining St. Titus as the Bishop of Crete Prokeimenon Mode 4 At that time, Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be Psalm 117:26, 1 baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” However, Jesus Verse: Give thanks to the Lord, for his good. answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill His mercy endures forever. all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was bap- TITUS, my son, the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, tized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, up- heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like right, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, the glory of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.