Message From Your Priest

Beloved in Christ,

John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus Christ's ministry by "preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins," (Mark 1:4). He called on the people to change their former ways of life so that they could embrace the new life that Christ would reveal to them. The baptism that he offered was both a sign of this new life, and a precursor to the baptism that would come through Jesus Christ: "I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit," (Mark 1:8).

John's call to a new way of life is best expressed by his well-known phrase "repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," (Matt. 3:2). It is this phrase that is shown alongside John the Baptist in most of his icons. He preached repentance because he knew that the people would not be able to receive Christ's coming Kingdom unless they rejected their old ways and embraced the new way of Christ. John knew then what many Christians today forget: that apart from a heart that is open to God through repentance, the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven are shut.

Repentance is often misunderstood as being merely sorrow for sin. But that is only the first step in repentance, not the whole process. If repentance ends with sorrow for sin, then it can lead us to despair; it can lead us to believe that we are incapable of improving, of doing better than we have done in the past.

True repentance takes a full view of who we are as human beings, with both our failings and our victories, and asks: How can I do better? What can I do to make my actions tomorrow better than they were today? And repentance is a conviction that it is always possible to do better, that our battle against our sins is not a losing battle. Repentance is a firm belief that with God's help we have endless possibilities for improvement, that there is no ceiling on what we are capable of when God's power leads us.

The word 'repentance' in Greek (μετάνοια) means a change of mind. To repent means to turn away from our old ways of thinking about ourselves and the world. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind," (Rom. 12:2). Repentance means allowing our minds and our hearts to be transformed in the Holy Spirit through the power of Jesus Christ.

As we begin our New Year, let us resolve to open our hearts to the transformation that comes through Jesus Christ. Let us turn away from the things of the past, and turn toward the renewed life that Jesus Christ offers us. Having repented of our old ways of life based on egotism and pride, let us "put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator," (Col. 3:10).

In Christ,

Fr. Jeremy

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal First Mode

Eternal with the Father and the Spirit is the Word, who of a virgin was begotten for our salvation. As the faithful we both praise and worship him. For the in the flesh did he consent to ascend unto the Cross, and death did he endure, and he raised unto life the dead through his all glorious resurrection.

Apolytikion for Forefeast of the Theophany in the Fourth Mode

Be thou ready, Zabulon; prepare thyself, O Nephthalim. River Jordan, stay thy course and skip for gladness to receive the Sovereign Master, Who cometh now to be baptized. O Adam, be thou glad with our first mother, Eve; hide not as ye did of old in Paradise. Seeing you naked, He hath appeared now to clothe you in the first robe again. Christ hath appeared, for He truly willeth to renew all creation.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Mode

In the running waters of the Jordan River, on this day the Lord of all crieth to John: Be not afraid and hesitate not to baptize Me, for I am come to save Adam, the first-formed man.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 4:5-8.

TIMOTHY, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.

For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Gospel Reading

Sunday before Epiphany
The Reading is from Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' John was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Saints and Feasts

January 03

Sunday before Holy Theophany

About the beginning of our Lord's thirtieth year, John the Forerunner, who was some six months older than Our Saviour according to the flesh, and had lived in the wilderness since his childhood, received a command from God and came into the parts of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. Then our Saviour also came from Galilee to the Jordan, and sought and received baptism though He was the Master and John was but a servant. Whereupon, there came to pass those marvellous deeds, great and beyond nature: the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him that was being baptized and the voice was heard from the Heavens hearing witness that this was the beloved Son of God, now baptized as a man (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:1-22). From these events the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great mystery of the Trinity were demonstrated. It is also from this that the present feast is called "Theophany," that is, the divine manifestation, God's appearance among men. On this venerable day the sacred mystery of Christian baptism was inaugurated; henceforth also began the saving preaching of the Kingdom of the Heavens.

January 03

Malachi the Prophet

The Prophet Malachi ("messenger of God") is the last of the twelve minor Prophets, and also of all the Prophets of the Old Testament. He prophesied in the days of Nehemias, a wise man among the Jews, who also held a high and powerful position in the court of Artaxerxes the Long-armed, King of the Persians, who reigned from 465 to 424 B.C. Malachis' book of prophecy is divided into four chapters; he foretold the coming of Christ as the Sun of Righteousness (4:2).

Parish Information

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Orthodox Christianity 101

Beginning on January 12, Adult Ed will transition into Orthodox Christianity 101. This class will cover the beliefs, practices, and history of our faith from a broad perspective. It is intended for catechumens, or anyone who would like a 'refresher' on our faith. Meetings will take place at 6pm on Tuesdays in-person, with a Zoom option available.

For this class, we will be reading and discussing Frederica Matthewes-Green's Welcome to the Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity (Paraclete Press, 2015).

House Blessings

Annual house and business blessings are typically scheduled around the feast of Theophany (Jan. 6). If you would like to schedule a house or business blessing, please contact Fr. Jeremy.

Coronavirus Procedures

Here at St. Nicholas we are blessed to be able to welcome our community to in-person services with the following directives in place:

-Individuals who have been exposed to the Coronavirus, or are at high risk as defined by the CDC (those 65-years or older, those with compromised immune systems, those with respiratory illness, heart conditions, or other underlying medical conditions) are encouraged to stay at home. Our livestream will still be active for the time being.

-A distance of six feet must be observed between families at all times.

-Use of non-medical masks is required in the Church building.

-There will be no fellowship hour following Liturgy. Parishioners are asked to depart the Church in an orderly fashion family-by-family following the dismissal.

-Icons are to be venerated by crossing oneself and bowing. Please do not kiss the icons.

This Week at St. Nicholas

Following Divine Liturgy this morning, we will celebrate the cutting of the Vasilopita for the New Year.

Tuesday, January 5: 6pm Great Vespers
Wednesday, January 6 Holy Theophany: 8am Orthros, 9am Divine Liturgy, 10:30am Great Blessing of Waters, 6pm Paraklesis
Saturday, January 9: 6pm Great Vespers

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