Homily On the Nativity by St Ephraim the Syrian, Translated by Dr Sebastian Brock

Icon of St Ephraim the Syrian
available from Convent of St Elizabeth

This homily is available from IOCS and posted on  Ancient Faith Radio here

I find it fascinating that St Ephraim writes that "God entered her through her ear". Jacob of Serug also writes in his first homily On the Mother of God that "The Word entered and dwelt in her within the guarded seals", and "But come and see the Watcher (Archangel Gabriel-in the Syriac tradition angels are sometimes called 'Watchers') instilling salvation into Mary's ear and removing the insinuation of the serpent from her and consoling her".

Dr Sebastian Brock in his Introduction to Mary Hansbury's translation of four homilies by Jacob of Serug (a non-Chalcedonian Syriac writer of the 5th century), notes that, "the object (of this detail of entering through her ear) being to provide a contrast with Eve's disobedience through listening to the serpent, sin being pictured as entering through her ear, like poison, as the serpent spoke" from 'On the Mother of God p.10 by Jacob of Serug, trans. by Mary Hansbury, Introduction by Dr Sebastian Brock, SVS Press, 1998.
  

Tree of Jesse Scripture Readings for the Advent Season

Root of Jesse - 16th c. Michael Damaskinos

Icon from Uncut Mountain Supply

A great activity for the whole family during Advent is called the Tree of Jesse. 

A passage from the scriptures is read every day and an ornament is placed on a tree (a real Christmas tree or an artificial one placed in the living room; or a tapestry on the wall) for each one of the stories read. The Tree of Jesse symbolizes all the ancestors of Christ and the events that culminated with the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is wonderful to sit with the family in front of the fireplace, early in the evening and read each one of the stories. The children get really excited about hanging the ornaments which can be home made or purchased in Amazon.com and other websites. Below is the list of readings for each day of Advent, which are linked to the readings themselves. Please click on the scripture passage for the reading. Between parentheses you will see the name of the ornament for that day.

Tree of Jesse with Readings for each day of Advent  and the Twelve Days of Christmas

From the Antioch Archdiocese Website
Most of the readings are linked to the NASB, except the readings from Daniel 3, Tobit and Baruch which were linked to the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA). The links are provided by the site BibleGateway.com. This is a great resource!

Nov 15 Day 1: The Creation of the World (sun)         
                Genesis 1-2:4

Nov 16 Day 2: Creation of Man (man & woman)
                 Genesis 2:4-25

Nov 17 Day 3: Expulsion from Paradise (fruit)
                 Genesis 3:1-24

Nov 18 Day 4: Noah (rainbow)
                 Genesis 6:9-22
                 Genesis chapters 7 and 8

Nov 19 Day 5: Abraham (constellation of stars)
                 Genesis 12:1-7; 15:1-6; 17:1-9

Nov 20 Day 6: Sacrifice of Isaac (altar)
                 Genesis 22:1-18

Nov 21 Day 7: Jacob’s Ladder (ladder)
                 Genesis 28:10-17

Nov 22 Day 8: Joseph and his Brothers (coat of many colors)
                 Genesis 37:3-35

Nov 23 Day 9: Joseph’s Elevation (cow)
                Genesis 41,42,43,45:1-16

Nov 24 Day 10: Israel’s Blessing for Judah (lion)
               Genesis 49:1-2, 8-12

Nov 25 Day 11: Infant Moses (Basket)
              Exodus 1:8-22; 2:1-10

Nov 26 Day 12: Moses and the Burning Bush (burning bush)
              Exodus 3:1-20

Nov 27 Day 13: Plagues (frog)
              Exodus 6:29- 7:16; 7:14-8:15; 11:1; 12:1-13, 28-32

Nov 28 Day 14: Israel passes through the Red Sea (parted sea)
              Exodus 13:20-22; 14:1-31; 15:1-19

Nov 29 Day 15: Water in the Wilderness (staff)
                Exodus 15:20-16:1;17:1-7

Nov 30 Day 16: Commandments (stone tablets)
               Exodus 24:12-18

Dec 1    Day 17: Ruth (shock of wheat)
               Ruth chapters 1-4

Dec 2    Day 18: Birth of Samuel (horn)
              1 Samuel 1:1-2:10

Dec 3   Day 19: Samuel & Eli (lamp)
              1 Samuel 3:1-20

Dec 4  Day 20: David the Anointed King (sheep)
              1 Samuel 16:1-13

Dec 5  Day 21: David & Goliath (slingshot)
             1 Samuel 17:1-11; 17:32-54

Dec 6  Day 22: David the Psalmist (footstool)
              Psalm 110

Dec 7  Day 23: King Solomon (crown)
              1 Kings 1:32-40; 2:1-4,10,12; 3:5-14

Dec 8  Day 24: Elias the Prophet (burning rock)
              1 Kings 18;19;2 Kings 2:1-14

Dec 9  Day 25: Jonah the Prophet (whale)
               Jonah 1-4:11

Dec 10 Day 26: Tobias (fish)
              Tobit 5-9:6; 11:2-19; 12:6; 12:11-22

Dec 11 Day 27: Emmanuel (scroll)
              Isaiah 7:10-16; 8:1-4,8-10

Dec 12 Day 28: Rejoicing Foretold (throne)
              Isaiah 9:6-7; 11:1-10                 

Dec 13 Day 29: Visits of Kings Foretold (kings with camels)
              Isaiah 60:1-7

Dec 14 Day 30: Daniel (stone smashing a statue)
              Daniel 2:31-36,44-45

Dec 15 Day 31: 3 Holy Youths (flames)
              Daniel 3:1-88

Dec 16 Day 32: God’s Dwelling (Ark of the Temple)
              Exodus 40; 1 Kings 8

Dec 17 Day 33: Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet (Mountain w/ a large cave- the stable) 
             Habakkuk 3:2-19
                              

Dec 18 Day 34: Wisdom, Word and Power of God (open book)
             Baruch 3:36-38; 4:1-4

Dec 19 Day 35: Birth & Star Foretold (Star of David)
              Micah 5:1-4

Dec 20 Day 36: Zachariah (censer )
              Luke 1: 5-25

Dec 21 Day 37: Announcement (angel)
              Luke 1:26-38

Dec 22 Day 38: Visitation (Mary)
              Luke 1:39-56

Dec 23 Day 39: Joseph the Betrothed (Joseph)
              Matthew 1

Dec 24 Day 40: Journey to Bethlehem (manger)
              Luke 2:1-5

Twelve Days of Christmas

Dec 25 Day 1: Nativity (Infant Jesus)
              Luke 2:6-7

Dec 26 Day 2: Light of the World (radiant light)
              John 1:1-5,10-14

Dec 27 Day 3: Announcement (angel w/ trumpet)
             Luke 2:8-14

Dec 28 Day 4: Shepherds Prepare (standing shepherd)
              Luke 2:15

Dec 29 Day 5: Shepherds Visit (kneeling shepherd)
             Luke 2:16-20

Dec 30 Day 6: Star of Bethlehem (star)
             Matthew 2:1-2

Dec 31 Day 7: Wise Men Visit Herod (palace)
             Matthew 2:3-7

Jan 1  Day 8: Naming of Jesus (Jesus banner)
             Luke 2:20-21; Genesis 17:1-14

Jan 2  Day 9: Visit of the Wise Men (gifts of the wise men, gold, frankincense & myrrh)
            Matthew 2:9-12

Jan 3  Day 10: Flight to Egypt (sword)
            Matthew 2:13-23

Jan 4  Day 11: Song of Zachariah (dove)
           Luke 1:57-64; 1:67-80

Jan 5  Day 12: Baptist John (sandal)
           Luke 3:1-22