November 27, 2022

Luke 13:10-17 - Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. (RSV)

Rejoice! You are free! – The incarnation of the Word and his assumption of human nature took place for the overthrow of death, destruction and the envy harbored against us by the wicket Serpent, who was the first cause of evil. This is plainly proved to by the facts themselves. He set free the daughter of Abraham from her protracted sickness, calling out and saying, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” A speech most worthy of God, and full of supernatural power! With the royal inclination of His will He drives away the disease. He also lays his hands upon her. It says that she immediately was made straight. It is now also possible to see that His holy flesh bore in it the power and activity of God. (St. Cyril of Alexandria)

The icon is of Saint Andrew the Apostle (November 30th).

Nativity Fast / Advent

We continue our forty days of prayer and fasting in preparation for the coming in the flesh of our Lord, God and Savior (Christmas). It began on November 14th, at the Conclusion of the Feast of the Holy Apostle Philip, and is commonly known as "Philip's Fast".