In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls Phillip, who immediately follows him. He then brings his friend Nathaniel to Jesus, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth. (John 1:45)” This is the feast to begin our Christmas preparation. Phillip leads us to the one true Messiah, the child born of Mary in Bethlehem. The child “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. (Phillipians 2:6-8) It was not until he was to be arrested and executed, that Phillip understood the totality of the mystery he discovered. At the Last Supper, Phillip asked Jesus, “Master, show us the Father,” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Phillip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) Every Christmas journey, we should become a more faithful follower of Jesus, especially in these days.

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

On our liturgical calendar today, the Church remembers a saint many have not heard of, Moses of Skete in Egypt, sometimes called “Moses the black” or “Moses the Ethiopian.”

A biographer writes,

Moses must have been from Ethiopia or the Sudan, which would explain his surname. Before his conversion he lived as an outlaw in the Nitrian wilderness. The sayings about Moses in the Apothegmata stand out for their warmth and compassion, and even gentle humor.

In Skete, Moses was a disciple of Abba Isidore, and, like him, was made a priest for the monks of Skete. He was teased about being black, even on the day of his ordination, when he was robed in white, but Moses always had an answer that reflected wisdom rather than resentment.

The fathers were able to reform his character, but much of the personality of the old outlaw enlivens his stories, such as when he overcame four thieves who tried to rob his cell. He tied them up and carried them to the church. Dumping them on the ground, he asked the startled brothers, “I am not allowed to harm anyone; so, what is to be done with these?” (NS)

May St. Moses of Skete, intercede for us before God.

August 13 is the feast-day of St. Maximus. Because it is also the leave-taking of the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, the liturgical commemoration is transferred to Saturday. Today Maximus is considered one of the “pillars of Orthodoxy,” and Fr. John Meyendorff called him “the father of Byzantine theology.” His accomplishments are many – he was martyred because of his faithful defense of the incarnation of our Lord, that he was truly human in every way (except sin) and had a human will. He had to live many years in exile.

[Maximus] has become much more respected in recent years, I think, because his theology has much to say to the modern world. His theology of deification calls us to see the world as more than “materialism,” only what we can see or hear or touch. He teaches us that there is more to our existence, a spiritual dimension that surpasses bodily passions and concerns. Reading Maximus, however, can be very difficult. He was committed to Greek literary and rhetorical styles, appearing in long. convoluted sentences. He also used the vocabulary of Neo-Platonism, which few can understand today. Many of his works have been translated into English, and his best are the Four Centuries on Love, his Commentary on the Our Father and his work on the Liturgy, The Church’s Mystagogy. All are found in the Paulist Press series “The Classics of Western Spirituality,”: Maximus Confessor: Selected Writings,” translated by George Berthold.

Today, we pray: “Taking its abode within your heart, the thrice-brilliant light made you a chosen vessel. It has revealed heavenly things in you, O blessed saint. You made deep and complicated ideas clear to us, and you preached the eternal Trinity to everyone, O Maximus.“ (Kontakion)

Meditation by Archpriest David Petras

Today, the Byzantine Church commemorates the holy protomartyrs of the Kievan-Rus’, Boris and Gleb, in baptism named Roman and David. They sit in opposition to the common approach to leadership and power among people.

When Russia’s first Christian prince, St Vladimir, died in 1015, his eldest son, Svyatopolk, attempted to consolidate his own position by eliminating his two half-brothers, Boris and Gleb. When Boris heard of his brother’s plans, he refused to defend himself and faced his death without fear or hatred. His younger brother also accepted his assassination without opposition.

Such murders were typical of the extremes of political struggle for power in a pagan society. Boris and Gleb sincerely believed that the good news of Jesus Christ, so recently preached in their own land, must change all of this. Thus, by their voluntary sacrifice to their brother’s lust for power, they bore witness to the command of Christ to love one another. The impact of their witness deeply affected the character of Russian spirituality.

These saints of the Orthodox faith were recognized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1724.                                                                                                       (NS)

The image of God was truly preserved in you, O Mother, For you took up the Cross and followed Christ. By so doing, you taught us to disregard the flesh, for it passes away, But to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal. Therefore your spirit, O Holy Mother Macrina, rejoices with the Angels! (Trop. 8)

The Byzantine Church commemorates today St. Macrina, recalled as “Our venerable mother, sister of saint Basil, the great.” It has been said that the family is where the seed of sanctity is planted and that saints beget saints. This is true for Macrina and her family: she is a saint among a family of saints. For us, Macrina is a certain guide to a deeper communion with the Most Holy Trinity. Holiness is possible.

Macrina was the older sister of the saints Basil and Gregory. After the early death of her husband, Macrina devoted herself to the education of her younger brothers. It was at this time, also, that she took up the monastic life, and it was due to her influence that her brothers learned the value of the spiritual life and dedication to the service of the Church.

The mother of this remarkable family, St. Emelia, guided a small community of nuns on the family estate in Pontus. Macrina succeeded her mother as the head of the monastery, and in time founded other communities for women.

She spent her last days (she died in 380) with her brother, St. Gregory, the bishop of Nyssa. The funeral oration he said over his sister is a moving testament to the love and esteem not only of a brother, but also one of many who were spiritually enriched by her example. Macrina was buried with her parents.

(NS)