Saturday, January 1st, 2022.
I have been told that recognizing holy days is an opportunity to declare the gospel, so today I will take the opportunity!
The first day in a new year is traditionally named the Feast of the Circumcision by the Eastern Orthodox. It is the remembrance of the circumcision of Jesus on the eighth day of his birth in observance of the law of God.
The Roman church changed the name to the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary to remember her supposedly sinless role in doing the will of God, bearing Jesus, and having him circumcised.
The Episcopalians, and some Lutherans, call it the Feast of the Holy Name to emphasize the name declared at his circumcision.
Though this is the only Holy Day of Obligation that includes the blood of Christ it is not the blood that God would have the church declare.
The declaration of the church ought to be the gospel of the grace of God, which was not offered at his circumcision, known by Mary, nor spelled out by his name.
What is this gospel that saves today? That sinners can be saved by trusting the shed blood of Jesus Christ (by the cross, not by circumcision) and his resurrection to justify eternal life to all the ungodly that believe (Rom 3:25; Rom 4:5; Rom 4:25).
According to the mystery of Christ, Salvation does not require Mary (who was also a sinner), our obedience to the law, nor obligatory days of remembrance.
It does require his finished work on our behalf. This is called grace, and it is good news that is not the focus of today’s religious day unless someone who knows the gospel takes opportunity.
For His grace,
Justin “every day” Johnson