“Ringing Out” and “Ringing In”: Leave-Taking of Nativity and Theophany

We look to this week’s readings, 2 Timothy 4:5-8, and Mark 1:1-8 (with the help of the prophecies of Malachi 3:1-5, 4:2-6), as an encouragement to put off the Old Man, and to put on Christ. The conjunction of Nativity with the beginning of our remembrance of Theophany leads us to dwell upon the themes of old and new— of the new covenant by which we have been embraced, of how it fulfils promises of the old covenant, and of how Christ himself is the Alpha as well as the Omega.