Circumcision of our Lord (gzoorto d'Moran) and New Year

Circumcision of our Lord (gzoorto d'Moran) and New Year

January 1st is the commemoration of the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus (Hido d'gzoorto d'Moran Yeshu) and New Year of the Lord (rish shato mshihoyto) according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church.In accordance with Jewish tradition, eight days after His birth, Jesus was taken to be circumcised & also formally named, "his name was called Jesus, which was so named by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." Circumcision was a sign of God’s Covenant with Abraham & his descendants [Genesis 17:10-14, Leviticus 12:3]. The Holy Fathers of the Church explain that the Lord, the Creator of the Law, underwent circumcision in order to give people an example of how faithfully the divine ordinances ought to be fulfilled. The Lord was circumcised so that later no one would doubt that He had truly assumed human flesh, & that His Incarnation was not merely an illusion, as certain heretics had taught. Christ was, as St Paul says, "made under the law", that is, submitted to the Mosaic tradition in order to fulfill all justice. The ritual of circumcision was a prefigure for holy baptism. “Again, we say that Christ was circumcised in order to give us baptism, which typified and referred to circumcision. And without the circumcision of the flesh, there was no way (for Christ) to give us the true circumcision, which is baptism. Since circumcision is mutilation of the flesh that overlaid the genital organ like a cover, baptism is the mutilation of the [old] man of sin which is overlaid on the heart like a cover, making the one who is baptized a new man, and the son of the heavenly Father, and brother of Christ.” – Excerpt from Mor Severios Moshe Bar Kepha ♰ 903, Commentary on St. Luke 2:21“Today, Christ willingly was circumcised according to the law that Moses commanded to the Hebrews. Thus, the mysteries and parables by which the prophets foretold His coming were completed and fulfilled” – Huthumo In today's Gospel, our Lord says, "This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you...If the world hates you, yes know that it hated me before it hated you." As we begin a New Year, let us be obedient to the commandments of our Lord. Just as Christ followed the Old Law & was circumcised, let us Christians follow the new divine ordinances given to us. While the world may hate us for following Christ, our reward in Heaven is eternal life with the Father. "O Lord of all beings, bless the beginning of the new year. Grant to us a blissful life with the rising sun of every new morning. Increase unto us graces and sprinkle the earth with dew. Make the fields and plants to blossom with bountiful seeds and fruits. May Your power rid us of all kinds of grief and hardship. May Your Cross save our congregation from pain and infirmity." - Kasaloki on January 1st, Syriac hymnalThe Holy Bible readings from the Church Lectionary:Evening:St. John 10:1-16Morning:Luke 2:21 4:14-30 4:32St. John 7:37-44, 7:15-18Before Holy Qurbono:Genesis 17:9-27Deuteronomy 10:12-11:11 Samuel 14:27-34Isaiah 40:25-31Holy Qurbono:Acts 7:2-10Romans 2:28-3:8Peter 5:5-11St. John 15:8-19For sermons/commentaries based on the Gospel: https://goo.gl/oPN8wn Tone of the Day: 8Huthomo: https://youtu.be/LPKmbIIw0EY Syriac Prayers: https://tinyurl.com/4pdkmnj5Fixed Feast