Some Notes on Sunday's Liturgy

THE SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPHANY

Today’s service is a combination of three different services:

• The Sunday service in Tone 6
• The service for the Prefeast of Theophany
• The service for the Sunday Before Theophany

AN EXPLANATORY NOTE ON THE THEOPHANY ICON

The icon of the Feast of the Theophany, shows the Lord standing in the water of the Jordan River being baptized by John.  The depiction of the river is far from that of a natural river.  The river is shown as a cleft in the rock.  In the same way, the rock is cleft in the Nativity icon in order to form the cave of Bethlehem, and in the Resurrection icon, the rock is split in order to form the entrance to Hades, into which we see the Lord descending. 

     The Nativity icon shows the Lord wrapped in His swaddling clothes as if in a winding sheet, and lying in a stone manger that is formed like a sarcophagus.  In the Resurrection icon, we see Adam and Eve rising from similar sarcophagi, as the Lord bears them up to Light and Life. 

     The sarcophagus theme is absent in the Theophany icon, but we see the Lord descending into the split rock, sanctifying the water.  This is a reminder to us that Christ is our salvation, and salvation in Christ is entirely present in all of its parts. As St. Basil the Great says in his Liturgy: “For, since sin entered the world through a human being, and through sin—death, it pleased your sonly begotten Son—being in the bosom of you, God and Father—to be born of a woman, the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary; He was born under the law, to condemn sin in his flesh, so that those who die in Adam may find life in your Christ.  He lived in this world, and gave us precepts of salvation. Releasing us from the delusions of idolatry, he brought us to the knowledge of you, the true God and Father.  He gained us for himself as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. After cleansing us with water and sanctifying us with the Holy Spirit, he delivered himself up for us and ransomed us from the death that held us captive because of our sins. Descending into Hades through the cross, that he might fulfill all things in himself, he loosed the pains of death. He rose on the third day, making way for the resurrection of all flesh from the dead, for it was not possible for the author of life to be held by corruption.”

THE PROPERS OF THE DIVINE LITURGY

The Sunday Tropar in Tone 6:

Angelic powers were upon Your tomb and the guards became like dead men; Mary stood before Your tomb seeking Your most pure body. You captured Hades without being overcome by it. You met the Virgin and granted life. O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!

[The tropar refers to Matthew 28: 1-10, which tells us of the terrifying apparition of the angel, who comes to open the tomb.  After removing the stone from the entrance of the tomb, he sits upon it.  The tropar then goes on to refer to the apocryphal legend that the Lord also appeared to the Mother of God.]

The Tropar of the Prefeast of Theophany, Tone 4

Zebulon, get ready! Naphtali, adorn yourself!* River Jordan, halt your flow!* Receive the Master with joy as he comes to be baptized.* Adam, rejoice with our first mother, and do not hide as you once did in paradise;* for having seen your nakedness,* Christ has revealed himself* so as to restore your pristine robe of righteousness* and wishes to renew all creation.

[This tropar draws together today’s Gospel reading (the Sunday Before Theophany) with the reading for the Sunday After Theophany, since the “get ready” or “prepare” is inspired by the ministry of St. John the Baptist in Mark 1:1-8, while the invocation of Zebulon and Naphtali refers to the text of Isaiah 9:1-2 that is quoted in Matthew 4:15-16: “The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

     The tropar also calls out to the Jordan to “halt its flow.” This refers to Joshua 3:7-8, an Old Testament reading on the Eve of Theophany. When Joshua entered the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant, the river ceased to flow until the entire army of God’s People had crossed.

     The tropar concludes with the reference to Adam’s nakedness.  This refers to the ancient Syrian tradition that Adam and Eve realized that they were naked in the Garden of Eden, because they had lost the spiritual robe of glory.]

Glory…

Kondak of the Prefeast, Tone 4

Standing in the flowing waters of the Jordan,* the Lord today tells John:* Do not be afraid to baptize me,* for I have come to save Adam, the first to be fashioned.

[This kondak is an elaboration of the conversation that takes place between the Lord Jesus and John in Matthew 3: 13-17. John says to Him: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” The Lord’s cryptic reply regarding “fulfilling all righteousness” is here explicated.  When the liturgical hymns refer to “Adam,” they mean not only the first-created man, but also the totality of human nature. The Lord’s baptism is going to purify human nature.]

Prokimen of the Prefeast, Tone 6

Save your people and bless, O Lord, your inheritance.

v. To you I will cry, O Lord my God,* lest you turn away from me in silence.

The Epistle reading for the Sunday Before Theophany:

A READING FROM THE 2^nd LETTER OF SAINT PAUL,

THE APOSTLE, TO TIMOTHY:

My son Timothy, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. (2 Ti. 4,5-8)

[In this reading for the Sunday Before the Theophany, the Apostle compares himself to a libation, thus recalling the Lord’s Baptism and His cup of suffering to which He refers in Matthew 20:22-23.  In this passage, the mother of the disciples James and John wants a guarantee of special privileges and position for her sons in the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Lord Jesus replies: “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” The Lord’s baptism is baptism into His death.  Although it gives everlasting life, it is no easy path.]

The Alleluia for the Sunday Before Theophany:

Alleluia, Tone 8

Be gracious to us, O God, and bless us.                         

v. Shine the light of your countenance upon us, and have mercy on us.

The Gospel reading for the Sunday Before Theophany:

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MARK:

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ (the Son of God). As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'" John (the) Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit." (Mar. 1,1-8)

[The Gospel highlights the nature of John’s baptism.  It is a baptism of repentance that leads to the forgiveness of sins.  It does not confer the Holy Spirit, nor does it give salvation and everlasting life in the Kingdom of God.  It is provisional, just as John himself is provisional.  His purpose is to point to the one who coming after him.]

Communion verse of Sunday:

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest.

Alleluia (3)