DAILY REFLECTION
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
TODAY IS NOT A FASTING DAY
The Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ. Saint Basil the Great. Martyr Telemachus.
The Circumcision of the Lord Jesus Christ
Eight days after the birth of our Savior, His parents brought Him to be circumcised (Luke 2:21), in accordance with God’s command to Abraham, which established a perpetual covenant with him and his descendants:
“This is My covenant, which you shall keep between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised” (Genesis 17:10-12).
The Lord, out of love, accepted to take on human nature—His own creation—and showed His compassion by fully participating in our fallen, mortal state. Through circumcision, which involves the cutting away of lifeless skin (symbolizing human mortality and sin), He, though sinless, humbly bore the mark of reconciliation. As the Lawgiver, He submitted Himself to the very law He had established, demonstrating that the prophecies and promises of old found their fulfillment in Him.
The few drops of blood shed on this day prefigured the blood He would later pour out on the Cross to cleanse the sins of the world and free humanity from the curse of death. Thus, the Lord’s circumcision is not merely a physical act but signifies the fullness of our redemption, which we celebrate today.
With this act, the circumcision of the Old Covenant concludes, and the New Covenant is inaugurated—a spiritual circumcision brought about through His blood. Christian baptism becomes the true circumcision of the spirit, marking membership in God’s new people. Unlike the physical removal of flesh, baptism liberates us from spiritual death, uniting us with the life-giving death and Resurrection of the Lord.
For this reason, the Apostle Paul and the other apostles strongly opposed those who insisted that converts from paganism must undergo circumcision (see Acts 15:5-30; 1 Corinthians 7:18-19; Galatians 5:2, 6; 6:15). Paul explains, “In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through your faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:11-12).
“In Jesus Christ, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6). By setting a boundary against the Old Testament law of circumcision, Christ calls us to the circumcision of the heart—a spiritual renewal that was already proclaimed through the prophets (Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:25-29).
In the Old Testament, God commanded Abraham to practice circumcision as a sign, to be performed on the eighth day of a male child’s life. This day symbolizes a transition beyond the temporal cycle of this mortal world (referencing the seven days of creation in Genesis 1) to eternal life, which was made possible through the resurrection of Christ. The eighth day signifies the “new creation,” transcending time, as Christ’s resurrection inaugurated this eternal life.
On the eighth day after His birth, Jesus was circumcised according to custom, and at the same time, He was given the name revealed by the angel to Joseph (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31): JESUS, meaning “Savior.” This name encapsulates His mission on earth. As God eternal and Creator, He became man to fulfill His work of salvation. The name JESUS is not merely a conventional identifier but mystically embodies the presence and triumph of the Savior. “Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
Scripture is filled with examples of the power of the name of Jesus (Acts 3:6; 4:7, 10, 30; 10:43; 16:18; 19:13, among others). In the lives of the saints, invoking the name of Jesus with faith brings miracles, drives away demons, and banishes the forces of death, as promised: “And I will do whatever you ask in My name” (John 14:13). For this reason, Orthodox Christians, as witnesses to this life-giving name (John 20:31), are called to do everything in the name of Jesus: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).
By continuously repeating in every circumstance and with every breath the holy prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner!”, the very Person of our Lord will dwell in our thoughts, inspire our behavior, cleanse our passions, and, gradually finding a stable dwelling place in our heart, will make the Divine Light of His Face shine within us. The commemoration of the circumcision, on the eighth day after His birth, is therefore the feast of the Name of Jesus and of the prayer that bestows upon us the Grace of His Holy Spirit.
Saint Basil the Great
Saint Basil the Great, a revered father of the Church, was born in 329 in Caesarea of Cappadocia, into a distinguished and devout Christian family renowned for its legacy of saints. Among his ancestors, his maternal great-grandfather was a martyr, while his paternal grandparents had confessed their faith during the persecution of Maximinus (305). They had taken refuge in the mountains of Pontus, where they miraculously survived for seven years, sustained by wild animals.
Basil’s parents, Basil the Elder and Saint Emmelia, were known for their piety, dedication to the poor, and for guiding their ten children along the path of salvation. His sister, Saint Macrina the Younger (commemorated on July 19), a true spiritual leader of the family, inspired her mother and siblings to embrace monastic life. This included her brothers: Saint Naucratius, Saint Gregory (later Bishop of Nyssa, commemorated on January 10), and Saint Peter (later Bishop of Sebastea).
Basil spent his early years in Neocaesarea of Pontus, where he absorbed the seeds of Orthodox faith from his mother and grandmother, Saint Macrina the Elder, a disciple of Saint Gregory the Wonderworker (commemorated on November 17). Under his father’s guidance, a renowned teacher of rhetoric, Basil quickly excelled in secular literature.
After his father’s passing, Basil pursued further education in the leading cultural hubs of the time, including Caesarea of Palestine, Constantinople, and finally Athens, the ancient capital of learning and eloquence. His reputation preceded him, partly thanks to the influence of Gregory of Nazianzus (later known as “the Theologian”), whom he had met earlier in Cappadocia. Their friendship, initially close on a human level, became wholly sacred and spiritual as they discovered their shared commitment to God and the pursuit of heavenly virtues. They shared everything: intellect, tastes, disdain for youthful frivolities, an insatiable thirst for knowledge and wisdom, and a mutual drive for virtuous excellence. They were often described as “one soul in two bodies,” despite their differing personalities.
Basil’s powerful mind and resolute spirit led him to excel in every field of study, including philosophy, grammar, logic, rhetoric, mathematics, astronomy, and even practical arts like medicine. In Athens, where Saint Paul’s preaching had once been dismissed by haughty sophists, Basil and Gregory used the very tools of secular wisdom to proclaim and defend the “foolishness” of Christ. Their efforts brought about a triumph of divine truth in the intellectual heart of the ancient world.
Vasili had gained great prestige. As soon as he finished his studies, his fellow disciples wanted him to be their teacher. However, eager to explore new horizons, he left the city and, along with it, the Hellenic culture, leaving Grigori behind as a pawn. Upon his return to his homeland in 356, he discovered that his mother and sister, Makrina, had transformed their home in Anisus into a monastery, and that his brothers were living a monastic life nearby.
The passionate encouragement of Makrina, the example of ascetics near Cappadocia under the influence of Efstathius of Sebaste, and above all, deep meditation on the Gospel, led him to realize how meaningless his pursuit of worldly knowledge had been until then. He abandoned his promising career as an orator, was baptized, and decided to seek a spiritual father to guide him on the path of asceticism.
After not finding one in his homeland, he embarked on a journey to the prestigious centers of true philosophy: Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and even Mesopotamia. There, he admired the ascetic battles and the divine virtues of the heavenly dwellers shining in those lands. Like a diligent bee, he gathered the best from each center, gaining profound knowledge and finding a quiet, secluded place that was favorable for him, far enough from the world to dedicate himself entirely to the work of God.
This place was a barren meadow, separated from the family monastery of Anisus by the flow of the Iris River, which he considered a true earthly paradise. There, he was able to bring Grigori and spend some time in asceticism together, doing manual labor and meditating on the Holy Scripture and prayer, as they had long dreamed of in Athens. After shedding all material possessions to live in poverty, like our Lord who stripped himself of His glory to enrich us with His divinity, Vasili kept only the bare essentials to cover his body and survive until the next day. His only treasure was the Cross, which he embraced throughout his life. Through asceticism, living as if without a body and enduring illnesses that accompanied him until the end of his life, he found his strength in the Cross.
After a year, Vasili was left alone, radiating wisdom and virtue throughout the region, and many people came to visit him—monks, laypeople, and even children, to whom he showed special affection. Since many visitors chose to embrace the life of angels, he began to write the famous “Rules,” considered the true and fundamental foundation of monasticism, both in the East and West.
Though young, he led with the authority of an elder, his hair graying from the many years spent in ascetic work, and he showed a profound understanding of the human soul, a gift given to him by God during the days and nights he dedicated to contemplation. By correcting the unusual ascetic practices of the disciples of Efstathius of Sebaste, he insisted on community life, led by a single abbot as a living icon of Christ. This required renouncing all material goods and personal will, emphasizing love and respect for one another and following the commands of the Gospel with fear of God and Orthodox faith.
In 360, he was called to Caesarea, where he was ordained a deacon by his bishop, Damasus. He also participated in the Synod of Constantinople, where he was pained to see how divided the Church of Christ had become due to the endless wars between Arians, Semi-Arians (Omiusians), and Orthodox Christians. Damasus, the weak bishop, had allowed himself to sign the heretics’ confession of faith, which led Vasili to briefly suspend communion with him and embrace solitude, with St. Grigori following him and refusing ordination, despite insistence.
In 363, he was ordained a priest by the new bishop of Caesarea, Eusebius, but a dispute instigated by jealous individuals arose among them, so Basil returned once again to his hermitage to live in peace. During this time, he focused on organizing the monks of Cappadocia into communal life (known as kinovia). He established their way of life, liturgical services, and the mutual relationships among them and with the outside world.
A staunch advocate of communal life, Saint Basil never abandoned his love for the solitary life. Near each monastery, he made sure to build cells for the hermits, so that the solitary ones would not be deprived of the security that companionship offers, and those who had dedicated themselves to the practical life would be inspired and guided by those who persisted in silence and prayer without distraction.
The arrival of the fanatical Arian emperor Valens (365–378) posed a threat to the saint, so Basil decided once again to abandon his monastic family in order to actively engage in the battle for the Truth. After reconciling with Eusebius, he was tasked with teaching the people of Caesarea.
With great eloquence, which was much admired, he taught them to appreciate the wisdom of God in creation and inspired them to love true beauty, which the soul gains through practicing virtues and meditating on the Holy Scriptures (homily on the Psalms). During the famine that struck the city in 367, he set an example of true love: he distributed the goods that were left to him, opened the storehouses of the wealthy with the irresistible force of his eloquence (homily on riches), worked tirelessly to organize the distribution of food, and used his medical knowledge to care for the sick.
Thousands were saved from death and were grateful to him. Therefore, his election to the episcopate of Caesarea, which took place with difficulty due to intrigues and heretics, was greeted with enthusiasm by the faithful (370).
The new metropolitan prepared for the battle to strengthen the faith and to regulate the discipline of the clergy and bishops. When Valens saw that the metropolis of Caesarea was being elevated along with that of Alexandria, as a stronghold against his maneuvers, he decided to go there himself. However, before doing so, he sent the prefect Modest to subdue the brave bishop.
After attempting in vain to win Basil over with promises and flattery, the prefect threatened to confiscate everything, exile him, and torture him in every way, even to death. “Find other threats to make me,” the saint calmly replied, “for none of these will stop me. In fact, the man who has nothing is not afraid of confiscation; they would only take my rags and a few books—these are the only possessions I have.
As for exile, I don’t recognize it at all, because I am not tied to any place. Even here where I live, it is not mine, and it seems to me that I am at home wherever they send me; moreover, I see the whole earth as belonging to God, and I consider myself a foreigner wherever I am. As for the tortures you want to inflict, I don’t have a body capable of enduring them… As for death, I would accept it as a favor, because it would take me to God, for Whom I live, act, and for Whom I am almost half-dead, and to Whom I have aspired for a long time.” Astonished and disarmed, the prefect confessed that he had never heard such words; “because you have never dealt with a BISHOP,” Basil replied.
Modesti was healed from an illness through the intercession of a saint and became a fervent admirer and friend of this saint. On another occasion, when the Arians threatened to attack the church in Nicaea, Saint Basil, like another Elijah (see 1 Kings 18:20-40), suggested that both sides should pray alternately in front of the church’s closed doors. The heretics’ prayers went unanswered, but when the saint raised his hands to pray to God, the entire church shook from its foundations, and the doors opened by themselves amidst the shouts of the faithful (this miracle is celebrated on January 19). Similar signs from God occurred with the royal family; his daughter died suddenly after her father had signed a heretical declaration.
One day, during the celebration of Theophany in the Church of Caesarea, Valens was deeply moved by the beauty of the hymns, the order of the people, and, most importantly, by the majestic stance of Saint Basil, standing barefoot before the Holy of Holies as the High Priest of the Lord Jesus, offering Himself to the faithful. Shortly thereafter, when he was asked to sign an order for the removal of the bishop, his pen split into three parts. Frightened by these signs, he did not disturb the saint further, but without abandoning his political ambitions, he divided Cappadocia into two ecclesiastical provinces, thinking this would reduce the influence of the Bishop of Caesarea.
Basil responded immediately by establishing new dioceses, placing trusted men at their heads, including his brother, Saint Gregory in Nyssa, and Gregory the Theologian in Sasima. He continuously called for unity with the Western bishops, who at the time were living in peace and adhering to the Orthodox faith, urging them to send a delegation to the East for a great Orthodox Synod, but they remained indifferent.
The Westerners, in fact, supported Paulinus, the rival of Saint Meletius (see February 12), for the throne of Antioch, leading to further divisions within the Church, which was already under attack from heretics on all sides.
On the doctrinal front, after suppressing the extreme Arians (Oration Against Eunomius, 364), Saint Basil attacked the semi-Arians who, despite appearing closer to the Orthodox, worsened the situation with their divisive disputes. He was the first of the Orthodox Fathers to boldly declare against those who opposed the divinity of the Holy Spirit (the Pneumatomachians or Macedonians), affirming that the Holy Spirit is fully God, of the same nature as the Father and the Son.
Saint Basil, inspired by the Holy Spirit, knowing the mystery of the union of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity, was able to express clearly and precisely the fundamental theological concepts (essence, hypostasis) without ever separating them from the mystery of our Salvation and the deification of humanity. In fact, he exercised his authority beyond the boundaries of his own diocese. Like an eagle in the heights, he oversaw everything, protecting all the churches from turmoil, covering them with his wings.
For this reason, he undertook many journeys, and when frequent illnesses became an obstacle, he guided the way through his correspondence, which remains one of the treasures of patristic literature. With the growing prestige he gained, after the death of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (373), this tireless defender of the Nicene faith became regarded as the beacon of Orthodoxy and the most authoritative spokesman of the Truth.
Saint Basil, with all his activities, was also a careful shepherd of his spiritual flock and a compassionate father to every believer. His love for the poor knew no bounds. Continuing the work he began as a priest, he built a large charitable complex outside of Caesarea, known as the “city of love,” which later came to be called Basiliada. This institution included, around the church: shelters, hospitals, care facilities for lepers, a school, and more. Whenever possible, the saint would visit and personally care for the sick and embrace the lepers.
According to the testimony of Saint Ephrem (see January 28), when Saint Basil preached, a white and radiant dove would whisper his sublime words in his ear. When he offered the Holy Eucharist, he appeared like a column of fire rising from the earth to the heavens.
The Orthodox Church continues to celebrate the liturgy he composed and use his prayers, which are inspired by a high theological spirit. He also encouraged the development of feasts for the martyrs and the veneration of holy relics.
This universal healer, this light of Orthodox faith, the father of monks, sustainer of the poor, caretaker of all who hope in God, Saint Basil was the perfect example of a bishop, a living icon of Christ. Through Christ, he became everything to all, speaking through his words and sharing through his deeds the treasures of his love for humanity.
Moreover, as a man, he experienced losses, slander, and sorrow of all kinds. Despite his efforts, divisions continued. A year before his death, after Valens died during a campaign against the Goths (378), the devout Theodosius succeeded him on the throne and immediately began purging the Arians and installing Orthodox bishops in their places.
However, the saint’s body had been worn down by illness and hardship, so he passed away before witnessing the full fruition of his work during the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople (381). His funeral, held on January 1, 379, amidst an extraordinary crowd, marked his triumph. It is said that the gathering was as if for the Second Coming of Christ, and many miracles took place. Saint Basil now has a “royal” place in the court of the Holy Fathers, very close to the throne of the Heavenly King.
- Saint Telemachus, Martyr
Saint Telemachus was a monk from the 5th century. He traveled from Asia to Rome, hoping to save the city. He openly opposed the gladiatorial games held in the amphitheater and even rushed to the Colosseum, calling out loudly to the gladiators to stop in the name of Christ. When the crowd heard him, they began to laugh and mock him. One of the gladiators then stabbed Telemachus in the abdomen with a sword, causing him to fall. He rose to his feet and again shouted for the gladiators to stop. They struck him once more, and the saint died on the floor of the amphitheater, covered in blood. A grave silence fell over the spectators who witnessed the event, and the Colosseum was silently emptied.
Thanks to this martyr, on January 1st, 404 AD, the last gladiatorial match in the history of the Roman Empire took place. Due to his death, three days later, these brutal contests were abolished by imperial decree.
CREATED by:
“KORÇA BOOM”
