🇬🇧
Christ Was Baptized!
In the Jordan river!
Happy celebration of Day of the National Assembly of Ukraine!
The reading of the Apostle today depicts Christ as the Victor in the heights and in the depths (quotations from the Psalms, in particular about the Resurrection).
Paul also states that God's highest will for Christians and the existence of the Church is to come to the extent (measure) of the perfect growth (maturity) of Christ
, that is, to reach the heights of virtue and to be like Jesus. Not all achieve, but all are called.
The Gospel read about the beginning of Jesus Christ's preaching and the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. All note the parallel between John's preaching of repentance and that of Jesus. And also a difference, because the first testifies to the service of the Second, and Jesus begins with a testimony about the purpose of the Coming – the Kingdom of Heaven (God).
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!