THEOSISVissarion (Nechaev)
The honor belongs to you. The Israelites, who have the blessing of knowing the one true God, ought to cherish this gift above all else. The Almighty God, revered by His people, has established a profound connection with them, providing no one else with greater reason to praise and exalt Him in His presence and before those who do not recognize Him. Their boast should rest solely in their faith in the true God, and their ambition should be to seek no glory apart from that which comes from honoring Him. And this God is indeed your God. He is the God of all humanity, recognized by both those who know Him and those who do not, as the Creator and Sovereign of all creation; yet He is primarily your God, O Israel, for the mighty deeds that you have witnessed firsthand, done specifically for you.
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His tremendous acts have been displayed in Egypt and during the Exodus, glorifying Himself not only before you but also in the sight of neighboring nations, who, upon hearing of these wonders, were filled with fear and apprehension (Ex. 15:14, etc.). The scripture passage in question is incorporated into the celebration of the three Ecumenical Saints, serving as a reminder that honoring these Saints is only truly right and pleasing to God when it is paired with the glorification of the Lord, who performed magnificent works for His holy Church through them. Despite the great merits they possess for the Universal Church, it is vital to remember their role as humble servants of God. When honoring them, one should heed the commandment found in the scripture designated for their feast: "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." This principle applies generally when venerating any of God's saints, but it is especially pertinent when observing the feast for the three saints—established to quell disputes regarding their respective dignities. Such arguments revealed a tendency among the disputants to favor one saint while diminishing the others. Each of the three saints had devoted followers, and there was a risk that the reverence afforded to a favored saint could overshadow the ultimate act of worship devoted to the one true God.
Why is this scripture reading included during the observance of the fathers, the earthly ancestors of Jesus Christ, closest to the Nativity feast? Likely, it is because this passage powerfully articulates the extraordinary mercy of God toward the Israelites, who were uniquely granted the honor of being called His people, His chosen ones. It seems the architects of the Church's rituals designed the reading to coincide with this service to highlight the connection between this theme and the lineage of Jesus Christ according to the flesh. This link is evident: the purpose of selecting one nation from all was to cultivate within it the tribe from which the promised Savior, the Joy of all nations, would emerge.