Day 12 - Jacob and his twelve sons

After he was called by God, Jacob ascends to Bethel, that is, to the house of God (this is how the name Bethel is interpreted), offers sacrifices to God and is declared chief and master of the holy rites. He teaches his successors and descendants how they must enter the house of God. He orders the foreign gods to be rejected like dung and filth and to change the garments. It is fitting for us to do likewise when we are called before God, or enter the divine temple, especially in the time of the holy baptism. We, as if we drive away the foreign gods and part from such error, must assert, ―I refuse you, Satan, and all your pomp and all your worship.‖ We also must change completely our garment by stripping off ―the old self that is corrupt through deceitful lusts‖1 and by clothing ourselves with ―the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to image of its Creator.‖2 The women who were with Jacob took off their earrings. And in fact women by entering the house of God without wearing any carnal ornament and with loose hair remove from their head any accusation of pride. That is why, I believe, those women took off the precious stones they wore in their ears―St Cyril of Alexandria