Eighth Day

lkisaid thoughts, sounds and creative miscellany episode 137 Lord I Call Tone 1 Byzantine mp3: https://orthodoxtwopartmusic.org/files/Byz-t1-lic.MP3 sheet music: https://orthodoxtwopartmusic.org/files/LIC-t1-byz.pdf Post-Easter Sundays Saint Thomas Sunday: Antipascha https://oca.org/Images/About/Worship/thomas-sunday.jpg Every day during the week of Easter, called Bright Week by the Church, the paschal services are celebrated in all their splendor. The Easter baptismal procession is repeated daily. The royal gates of the sanctuary remain open. The joy of the Resurrection and the gift of the Kingdom of eternal life continue to abound. Then, at the end of the week, on Saturday evening, the second Sunday after Easter is celebrated in remembrance of the appearance of Christ to the Apostle Thomas “after eight days” (Jn 20.26). It is important to note that the number eight has symbolical significance in both Jewish and Christian spiritual tradition. It signifies more than completion and fullness; it signifies the Kingdom of God and the life of the world to come since seven is the number of earthly time. The sabbath, the seventh day, is the blessed day of rest in this world, the final day of the week. The “first day of the week,” the day “after Sabbath”; stressed in all of the gospels as the day of Christ’s Resurrection (Mk 16.1, Mt 28.1, Lk 24.1, Jn 20.1, 19), is therefore also “the eighth day,” the day beyond the confines of this world, the day which stands for the life of the world to come, the day of the eternal rest of the Kingdom of God (see Heb 4) https://oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-church-year/post-easter-sundays Before Reading the Holy Scripture Illumine our hearts, O Master Who lovest mankind, with the pure light of Thy divine knowledge. Open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Thy gospel teachings. Implant also in us the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that trampling down all carnal desires, we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living, both thinking and doing such things as are well-pleasing unto Thee. For Thou art the illumination of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, Who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages, Amen. scripture readings: https://oca.org/readings/daily/2019/05/04 Acts 3:11-16 John 3:22-33 Resurrection Troparion Tone 1 mp3: https://orthodoxtwopartmusic.org/files/Byz-res-t1.MP3 sheet music: https://orthodoxtwopartmusic.org/files/Res-t1-trop-byz.pdf