Category Archives: A Lamp for Today

1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2; Amos 5, Isaiah 40 In our epistle reading for the Sunday of Meatfare, we pick up St. Paul’s train of thought after he has been answering the question of the Corinthians regarding whether it is permitted for Christians to eat food that had been previously offered to idols. It is important toContinue reading “Are we not free? Food and the Faith (Epistle for the Sunday of the Last Judgment)”

After having considered the cycles of troparia, kontakia, and theotokia, we resume our reading of the Scriptural passages for Divine Liturgy in the light of the Old Testament.  This year we will be focusing on the epistle readings, which are so often neglected in favor of the gospels, and seeking to understand them in theContinue reading “Continue in the Things That You Have Learned! The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee”

Genesis 3; Deuteronomy 30, Psalm 138 (139 MT), Hosea Finally, we complete our study of the eight resurrectional-dismissal hymns for the Theotokos.  Tone 6 is similar to tone 8, in that these two alone address Christ rather than the Theotokos herself.  We sing this hymn during our celebration of St. Gregory the Theologian (Nazianzen) onContinue reading “Desiring to Recall Adam: The Resurrectional-Dismissal Theotokion in Tone 6”

Ezekiel 41:1-3; Psalm 130/131; Revelation 12; 21-22   Good things come to those who wait!  As we have been concentrating upon the resurrectional-dismissal hymns for the Theotokos in our Divine Liturgies from both Sundays and feast-days, we have waited some time for tone five come into play!  Finally, on January 18, when we remember SaintsContinue reading “Fourfold Joy! The Resurrectional Dismissal Theotokion in Tone Five for the Feast of Sts Athanasius and Cyril”

Daniel 12, Proverbs 31, Psalm 44 (45), Psalm 131 (132), Isaiah 7 In the past few weeks, we have been blessed to remember numerous saints, and two of my favorites— one ancient, and one contemporary.  During our celebration of both St. Ambrose (last week) and St. Herman of Alaska (this week), we sang the resurrectional-dismissalContinue reading “The Treasure of our Resurrection: The Dismissal-Resurrectional Theotokion in Tone 7”

Isaiah 7; Daniel 12 For a few weeks, due to the liturgical rhythm, we have either repeated a dismissal-resurrectional Theotokion that we already considered in this series, or we have had this usual hymn replaced with something else. Considering the significance of this week, when we celebrate the entry of the Holy God-bearer into theContinue reading “Somthing to Sing About! The Dogmatikon Theotokion in Tone Six”

Genesis 1-3, 1 Chronicles 16:8-36, Genesis 22:18 This week, we have had several feastdays, including October 31st, a day to remember the Hieromartyr John of Chicago.  His hymn, in tone one, leads to the dismissal-resurrectional Theotokion in tone one, as well. What a mysterious, provocative and joyful hymn this is!  It brings to life thatContinue reading “Carrying Your Creator: The Dismissal-Resurrectional Theotokion in Tone One”

Genesis 1-2; Hosea 8-13, Daniel 13, Colossians 1:15-20 For the next two weeks, we repeat, for dismissal, the beloved resurrectional Theotokion in tone four.  Since we have already looked closely at this hymn, we will look back to another of this series of hymns that concern Mary.  I am referring to the one that weContinue reading “Jesus in First Place: The Dismissal-Resurrectional Theotokion in Tone 8”

That which was hidden from eternity, Even to the angels, a mystery unknown, Through you, Theotokos, is revealed to those on earth: God incarnate by union without confusion. Who even voluntarily accepted the Cross for us, By which, resurrecting the first-created, He saved our souls from death. I wonder whether we Christians realize how privilegedContinue reading “Even to the Angels Unknown! The Resurrectional-Dismissal Theotokion in Tone Four”

The Psalter, Ezekiel 33-35, Isaiah 6 We have had several weeks of worship in which other hymns have pre-empted the usual resurrectional-dismissal hymns to the Theotokos.  This week in our worship, we repeat the “Theotokion” in tone three, which I considered in this blog several weeks ago! I have decided, then, to delve into anotherContinue reading “Gate, Temple, Palace, and Throne: Theotokion after the Aposticha, Tone Five”