Updated Theophany Schedule & Reflection

Our Theophany Eve schedule has changed significantly. Please take note of the new times:

Accepting My Humanity With Jesus

A reflection by Mother Cecilia, hegumena

A couple days ago, I was angry with myself for a mistake I had made. With a lot of effort, I turned to Jesus in prayer. Lately, when I’m struggling with something, I’ve gotten in the habit of asking Jesus, “When did You experience something like this?” Each time I’ve asked, He’s come through with an example from Scripture, encouraging me and helping me to be conformed to Him. Usually, I know the answer before I even finish asking my question; in the act of articulating what I’m experiencing, I become aware of the way Jesus had this same experience. 

Well, the day I was angry with myself for making a mistake, I thought, “I can’t ask Jesus about this one. He didn’t make mistakes.” But I knew I had to talk to Him; there was no other way to regain my peace. So, with great hesitation, I started to articulate my struggle: “Jesus, did You ever make a mistake or struggle to accept the weakness of Your humanity?” And it hit me before I finished the sentence: what I’m actually upset about is not simply making a mistake; I’m upset about the imperfections and limitations of my humanity, and Jesus took these on WILLINGLY! As God, He didn’t need to do that. God is infinitely powerful, all-knowing, uncontainable... And He chose to join Himself to the limitations of our humanity. It’s mind-blowing to consider God taking on even the simplest human limitations and needs: He experienced hunger…He had to stop working and sleep… 

I understood immediately that if the all-powerful God chose to take on the limitations of humanity, I, who am a created human person, can willingly accept my human limitations rather than being angry about them. With Jesus, I can even lovingly embrace them, because that is what He did, and with Him in me and I in Him, I can do that too. 

At this time of the liturgical year, we celebrate several landmark moments of the Incarnation—of God’s taking on of human limitation: the Nativity (Dec. 25), Theophany (Jan. 6) and Presentation in the Temple (Feb. 2). These are special times of deepening our awareness of God’s love for us through His humble condescension; they are also times of rejoicing and thanking Him. Listen carefully to the liturgical texts (at Divine Liturgy, Vespers, Matins, Royal Hours, etc.), sit quietly with the readings from Scripture, and maybe even speak to Jesus about your struggles with your humanity. Notice the unique ways that He personally speaks to you about His love for you.

Here is a beautiful text that makes me cry every year! It’s from Vespers for the first pre-festive day of Theophany (Jan. 2). I love that the Jordan River is personified and cries out to John the Baptist:

O come all you faithful ones. * Leaving the regions of Judea, we shall cross the wilderness of the Jordan; * and today we shall see Him who revealed Himself in the flesh for our sake. * In the streams of the Jordan, * He is asking the Forerunner for baptism. * John refuses and cries out in fear: * I do not dare to touch the divine Fire with my hand of clay. * The Jordan and the sea fled, O Savior, and then returned. * And I, how shall I place a hand on Your head which even the Seraphim fear? * The Jordan fled when Elisha received the mantle of Elijah; * how will it not go into the Abyss * and into the depths when it sees You unclothed in the stream? * How will the Jordan not burn me when I touch the fire? * The Jordan then cries out to John: * Why do you hesitate to baptize my Lord? * Why do you delay the purification of so many people? * He has already sanctified all creation. * Let me also be sanctified together with the nature of the water. * For this reason, He has come into the world.

May these beautiful feasts fill you to overflowing with joy and grace. We are praying for you!

An idea for incorporating some of the daily liturgical prayer of the Byzantine Church into your daily life: try the ECPubs app. This free app is especially helpful for praying Vespers (evening prayer); the entire text of the service for each day is compiled in order. In the app, click on “Vespers,” then the date (of the following day, since Vespers is the first service of the new liturgical day), then “Reader service” (this option gives instructions for praying Vespers without a priest). We nuns use this app when traveling.