Новый год. Обре́зание Господне. Св. Василия Великого

(Col.2, 8–12; Luke 2, 20–21, 40–52) Just as the new year is the beginning of the days of summer, then on this day it is necessary to gather into the soul such thoughts, feelings and dispositions that could, worthy of a Christian, direct the entire course of his affairs throughout the year. We will immediately find this as soon as we take into account that there is a new year in spiritual life. In spiritual life, there is a new year when someone living in negligence begins to be zealous about salvation and pleasing God: for when someone decides to do this, then everything inside and outside him is rebuilt anew and on new principles - the ancient passes by and everything becomes new. If you have it, renew it; and if not, do it, and you will have a new year. The worthy celebration of the Circumcision of the Lord and the memory of St. Basil the Great. – The essence of this change is that from this moment a person begins to live solely for God for his salvation, whereas previously he lived exclusively for himself, preparing for his own destruction. Here he gives up his old habits, all pleasures and everything in which he found pleasure; cuts off passions and lustful dispositions and accepts acts of strict self-sacrifice. And such a change represents exactly what, according to the Apostle, circumcision of the heart should be - which the celebration of the circumcision of the Lord reminds us of and obliges us to, and the example of which is represented by St. Basil the Great. So all the objects crowding into consciousness in the New Year converge in one thing - our inner renewal through circumcision of the heart. If the Lord favors someone to tune into the New Year in this way, i.e. not only to think this way, but also to put all this into practice, he will celebrate the New Year in the most perfect Christian way and prepare for the Christian conduct of the whole summer. In the next new year, he will only need to renew and revive what he has perceived now. You might be interested in: