In today's Office of Readings we encounter a reading from a discourse by Saint Andrew of Crete (ca. 650 - 740 A.D.). St Andrew of Crete is of great importance in the Orthodox Church because he invented – or at least introduced into the liturgy – the canon, a new form of hymnody of which there is no sign before his time. Canons are huge, elaborately structured musical and poetic compositions. Andrew’s immense “Greek Canon”, for instance, is a hymn 250 verses long interspersed with litanies and odes, takes three hours to chant, and goes chronologically through the entire Old and New Testaments, showing examples of the need for repentance and conversion. (credit: Universalis.com) For a reflection, "The old has passed away: all things are made new," please click on the image. Peace be with you!