Sunday after Theophany 2023

Peter H. Davids

Byzantine Catholic Homilies • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

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We see light when it strikes something. Jesus was the light who shown for us when he entered into our world and proclaimed repentance for the sake of entrance into the kingdom of God. He ascended after his passion, not for himself alone, but to share his glory with us by giving the gifts of leaders who gather people and equip all for ministry leading to the unity of the body of Christ with the goal of unity of faith, personal knowledge of the Son of God, complete likeness to Jesus (his manhood), and "the stature of the fulness of Christ" or divinization in unity with Christ. That is our calling; now let that light shine through us.

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Ambon Prayer 55 or 56

Our Venerable Father George the Chozebite. Our Venerable Mother Dominica. Our Holy Father and Confessor Emilian.

Title

What Does Light Look Like?

Outline

One cannot see light - one sees what is strikes or reflects from

We may be able to see the source of light, a bulb, the sun, a star, but we cannot see light itself. So when we say, “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned,” we mean that the light joined itself to us and has shown out to us from the God-man Jesus of Nazareth.

And he shined his light into our hearts when he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He revealed and revealed our sins - we need to repent - but he also revealed and reveals God’s salvation in that he announced the presence of the “kingdom of heaven” - he reveals our darkness to prepare us for participation in the light.

This two-fold process is what Paul is talking about in the Epistle

The Word “descended into the lower parts of the earth,” that is, he became incarnate as the God-Man (“Theoandros”) Jesus, but then, after descending further into death for us, he ascended “far above all the heavens.”

The ascending is not for him alone, for his power and pomp, but rather to include us, so, like a triumphant Roman general, he not only brings captives - the demonic forces - but also gives gifts to his friends and followers. “His gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

The gifts are those who are the representatives of Christ, those who speak the word of God, those who bring people to accept the good news, and those who develop and care for the body of people so gathered. They are not for the sake of Jesus, but for our sake, to bring us into union with him so that we share his honor.

Yet it does not stop there. We, the evangelized, are not to simply rest in a beatific vision, but to be servants of the word, diakonoi, building up the body of Christ. How long does this go on? “Until we all attain” (1) “the unity of the faith,” (2) “knowledge (epignosis) of the Son of God,” (3) “mature (teleios) manhood,” and (4) “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” The job is done when we participate in “the fulness (pleroma) of Christ.” The goal is divination.

Christ’s gift is people who can lead us collectively to divinization, oneness with Jesus.

Brothers and Sisters, we are to help others see the light and become one with the light themselves

We may have to come down and humble ourselves to do it.

We may have to identify with the death of Jesus to do it.

We may have to proclaim “repent” to do it

We may have to explain what the kingdom of God is to do it

But mostly we need to live this unity, this personal acquaintance with Jesus, this growth into his maturity, and in our coming life, if not in this life, the fulness of Christ.

The light has shown in the darkness; let it now shine on through us until we are all light.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 1-8-2023: Sunday after Theophany

EPISTLE

Ephesians 4:7–13

7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,

and he gave gifts to men.”

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 1-8-2023: Sunday after Theophany

GOSPEL

Matthew 4:12–17

12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caperna-um by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

toward the sea, across the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles—

16 the people who sat in darkness

have seen a great light,

and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death

light has dawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 1-8-2023: Sunday after Theophany

SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2023 | THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD

SUNDAY AFTER THEOPHANY

Bright Vestments

Matins Gospel John 20:11–18 (30th Sunday)

Epistle Ephesians 4:7–13

Gospel Matthew 4:12–17

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