Tuesday

An Epiphany of Christmas and The Eighth Day

Big Question:
Why does The Circumcision on the Eighth Day of Christmas
become the beginning of the New Year Anno Domini?

Short Answer:
Because the Public Naming
of the Incarnate Lord of History in "cutting the Covenant"
changes history itself by fulfilling it.

Happy New Year!

Ps 143.11
For your Name's sake,
Lord, save my life; in your justice save my soul from distress.
Por amor a tu Nombre,
SEÑOR, vivifícame; por tu justicia, saca mi alma de la angustia.

Gloria Dei vivens homo, autem vita hominis visio Dei.



Theotokos of Tender Mercy
written by the hand of Heather Durka

The Eighth Day of Christmas
as
Feast, Parousia, Mystagogy, Beatitude
The 8th Day as Feast of The Circumcision and the Naming of the Lord:



  • The Feast Day in Christian Tradition

    • Many people, Christian or not, use the western calendar’s New Year’s Day on 1 January as a time of taking stock, evaluating decisions, and making resolutions. It’s also the Church feast day commemorating the Circumcision and Name of Jesus.

    Gloria in excelsis Deo,



  • The Feast in Culture: Mere Comments

    • And that is the deep meaning of those glorious lists of "begats" which tin-eared modern exegetes assign to some plodding "Priestly" author, not seeing the connection with the redemption foretold. See comments on the Feast as a theme of "Sir Gawain and the Green Night":
    ...the poem begins and ends with a New Year's Feast -- and for the author and his audience, that was none other than the feast of the Circumcision. The author is careful, throughout the poem, to note the passage of the seasons in terms also of the passage of feasts in the life of the Church~
    See also this sermon on The Circumcision offered by Fr. Robert Hart.
    Jesus, Y’Shua, is a Hebrew name that means Salvation. . . .

    et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis ~


    The 8th Day as Parousia in the Scripture and Liturgy of the Church:

  • The Eighth Day: the Peace of the New Jerusalem


  • The Eighth Day in Liturgy: Epiclesis and "Maranatha" in the Early Church.



    • The 8th Day as Mystagogy in Liturgy, of Theosis and the Eschaton:

  • Mystagogy, Theosis, Eschaton

    • OrthodoxWiki basics and resource links.

  • Theosis

    • "Plain Talks" on a Major Doctrine of Orthodoxy by Fr. Anthony Coniaris

    The Eighth Day of Christmas and
    the Eight Beatitudes of the Gospel:


  • The Eight Beatitudes in Spirituality

    • The Works of Mercy as a share in the Peace which comes "not of this world."

  • The Eight Beatitudes in Scripture Commentary

    • A briefing of textual attentions.

    Gloria Dei vivens homo, autem vita hominis visio Dei.

    NEXT:
    On The 12th Day of Christmas



  • Theophany Theology: A Cosmos Revealed




  • Theophany: Cosmic Liturgy


    • The Blessing of the Jordan Waters
    in the Theophany Liturgy
    -- January 6, 2008 --
    a sacramental "crossing over" into The New Jerusalem
    and shows us the cosmology of The New Aeon.

    Blessings to all in 2008, the New Year of Our Lord,
    Fr. Michael Durka +

    posted by Fr. Michael Durka @ Tuesday, January 01, 2008