Holy Church celebrates September 1/14 as the ecclesiastical New Year. The world was created in September, and so the traditional Orthodox Calendar calculates the date--not according to the birth of Christ (AD/BC), but according to the day of the creation of the world. It is significant that I cannot find this date on the internet. I think it is eight thousand and something, but of course most Orthodox today avoid like the plague any suggestion that they are not "in step with the times." Modern "science" postulates many millions (or BILLIONS) of years since the creation (or, I should say, spontaneous manifestation) of the cosmos. Lest we become known as obscurantists, we gladly accept the Darwinian theory of evolution as though it were the revelation of God, rather than an insidious distortion of the Truth by the Evil One.
As was His custom, our Lord entered the synagogue and read from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah, "The spirit of the Lord if upon me...to preach the acceptable year of the Lord....This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." We pray to God, "Bless the crown of the year with Thy goodness"--for it is God alone Who has set the times and seasons for all things.
God created time in "the beginning" that our earthly life might be measured out according to His providential Plan. Nevertheless, today is the day of salvation. Since the coming of Christ, every year is the acceptable year of the Lord. For God dwells in eternity, in which the is neither day nor night, summer nor winter. Indeed, He totally transcends this world of death and decay.
Our allotted time in this world is meant to be a preparation for eternity in God's heavenly Kingdom, where there is neither sickness nor sorrow, nor any more sighing...but life everlasting. Meanwhile, we are trapped in time, awaiting the day our deliverance. May God grant us all many, many years, that we might strive and struggle ceaselessly for the eternal salvation of our souls.
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IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?....I actually don't know if anybody is reading these posts. Any feedback or comments would be appreciated.
