ORTHODOX CALENDAR January 14 (Jan. 1) Saint Basil the Great (New Year)

Circumcision of the Lord
On the eighth day after his birth, the Infant would be divinely brought to the temple and circumcised according to the law existing in Israel since the time of Abraham. On that occasion, they named him Jesus, as the Archangel Gabriel preached to the Most Holy Virgin.

Old Testament circumcision foreshadows New Testament baptism. The circumcision of the Lord shows that He took upon Himself a true human body and not an apparent one, as heretics later taught about Him.

The Lord is also circumcised because He wanted to fulfill all the law, which He Himself gave through the prophets and forefathers. Having fulfilled that regulation legally, He replaced it with baptism in His church. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Gal. 6:15), the apostle declares. (In the church service, this feast of the Lord has neither pre-feasts nor feasts).

Saint Basil the Great Archbishop of Caesarea
Born in the time of Emperor Constantine. As an unbaptized person, he studied philosophy, rhetoric, astronomy and all other world sciences of that time for 15 years in Athens. His schoolmates were: Gregory the Theologian and Julian, the later apostate emperor. In his mature years, he was baptized on the Jordan River together with his former teacher Evul. He was the bishop of Caesarea Cappadocia for close to 10 years, and he ended his earthly life at the age of 50.

A great supporter of Orthodoxy, a great ray of moral purity and religious zeal, a great theological mind, a great builder and a pillar of the Church of God – Basil is deservedly called the Great. In the church service, he is called the bee of the church of Christ, which brings honey to the faithful and stings heretics with its sting. Numerous works of this Father of the Church, theological, apologetic, ascetic and canonical, have been preserved; as well as a service, named after him.

This service is served 10 times a year, as follows: on January 1, on the eve of Christmas, on the eve of the Epiphany, on all Sundays of Lent except Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday. Peacefully rest St. Vasilije, January 1, 379. and moved to the kingdom of Christ.

What law the world has given to man
You, the Legislator, stood under the law yourself,
Others by force – Self voluntarily – relationship,
Therefore, on the eighth day, he was circumcised.
After fulfilling the law, you change it with a new one:
Replace circumcision with the spiritual.
To cut unclean passions from ourselves
And in a pure spirit to look at You.
The will of the body to be cut and sealed by the spirit,
To fulfill Your will, Savior, in spirit –
The saints learned this circumcision,
He left us his fiery example.
Vasilije is wonderful, similar to a shining light.
He teaches such circumcision of generations.
Glory to Basil, Your great servant,
Great, because because of You, calm down and narrow.
That is why the greater fast, and the Great remains.

JUDGMENT
Why should we listen to the Church and not to one man who thinks against the church, even though he was called the greatest thinker? Because the church was founded by the Lord Jesus Christ, and because the church is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. Because the church also means the state of saints, the garden of tame fruit trees. If one rises up against the state of the saints, it means that he is unholy, and why listen to him? “The church is a fence,” says the wise Chrysostom; “If you are inside, the wolf does not enter; if you go out, the beasts will catch you… Do not move away from the church: there is nothing stronger than the church. The church is your hope, the church is your salvation. It is higher than the heavens, stronger than a stone, wider than the earth; it never gets old, it always gets younger. “

THE CONCERNER
To contemplate the circumcision of the Lord Jesus:

1. His glory in the kingdom of heaven where the cherubim serve him with fear and trembling,
2. His humiliation and humility in the act of circumcision, intended for sinners,
3. to contemplate my heart: how much I have circumcised it from sinful thoughts, vices and passions.

CONVERSATION
about how to get rid of evil and do good
Turn away from evil and do good (Ps. 33:15)
These words express all our labor with which we should strive here on earth and in the earth, that is, on this material earth and in this material body. What, then, should be our labor? To acquire two habits: one – to get rid of evil, and the other – to do good. And our conscience tells us incompletely and vaguely about what is good and what is evil, because it is darkened by sin, and the teaching of Christ is completely and clearly.

What does our Lord ask of us, brothers? He asks that just as our altars are always turned to the East, so our souls should always be turned to the good. To leave evil behind, in the shadows, in the abyss of oblivion, in the darkness of the former, and we from year to year, day by day, to reach for the good: to think of the good, to long for the good, to speak of the good, to do good. God is looking for masons, not destroyers. Because whoever builds good, thereby destroys evil. Whoever turns to destroy evil, quickly forgets to build good and turns into a criminal.

By hating evil, hold fast to good (Rom. 12: 9), the apostle of Christ teaches us. He hates evil, but he does not hate a man who does evil, because he is sick. If you can, heal the sick, but do not kill him with your hatred. Hold on to the good, and only the good, because the good is from God, and because God is the treasury of all good.

O good and good Lord, teach us to turn away from evil and do good for Your glory and for our salvation. Glory and thanks to you forever,

Amen.

(Orthodox calendar)