Pastoral Reflection: Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026
During the singing of the Third Antiphon, which usually consists of the Beatitudes, we have the "Small Entrance" with the Holy Gospel book. On the surface, this looks like a short procession with clergy and servers, but spiritually it is the Church welcoming Christ as the living Word of God.
As the procession moves toward the Royal Doors of the iconostasis, it calls for a shift in our internal disposition. The visual beauty of the entrance invites us to prepare our hearts to receive spiritual nourishment. It is a sensory reminder that we are crossing a threshold, moving away from the mundane and stepping directly into the presence of Christ the King.
At the entrance, the priest asks God to make us “worthy to stand and minister” before the heavenly altar. Then comes the proclamation of the Epistle and the Gospel. The entire congregation stands because this is not a text Study but an encounter: Christ speaks to His Body, the Church. The homily that follows is meant to apply that Word concretely, calling people to repentance, faith, and deeper participation in the life of God.
With love in Christ,
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