When Thou, O Lord wast baptized in the Jordan the worship of the Trinity was made
manifest.
For the voice of the Father bare witness to thee, naming his beloved Son.
And the sprit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the certainty of that word.
O Christ our God, who hast manifested Thyself and enlightened the world glory to Thee.
-Theophany Troparion
Today is the feast of Theophany, the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a glorious feast. It always pulls at my heart to hear the words "As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ!" It reminds me of my own baptism and the baptism of my children. It encourages me and pulls me back to my decision to "Put on Christ". These words were sung today during Liturgy and are sung at all Orthodox baptisms, Nativity and Pascha.
One of the many things I love about the Orthodox Church is participating in the life of Christ and His holy church throughout the entire year. Being a part of these rememberances allows me to draw closer to Christ, to His humanity, His Divinity, here and now. You would think that celebrating the same feasts year after year would grow old, but they only grow richer and more meaningful-just like celebrating events in our own lives like marriage and children.
Participating in the liturgical cycle of the Church has allowed me to ponder my relationship with Christ, and where I am in my life at that time, year after year, and it has never been the same. For me now I am neck deep in toddlers. So, the services are distracted and chaotic (since children participate in the services with the parents and papa is the priest which means he is always in the altar and not with me in the sanctuary, where the fun is taking place:) But by the grace of God, I am able to enter into the service from this perspective.
My children are responsible for a large part of the joy in my life. They are so profoundly beautiful and I thank God for them. Everyday I am amazed at what God has placed in my care. So, I feel that in the midst of the lack of sleep, distraction, frustration, chaos, and rarely getting to hear a sermon, I must try to see God-and I do. After all, he is responsible for their creation. It is through these glasses that I enjoy the feasts of the church.
Glory be to God for all things!
