THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST
(Christmas Fast: Nov. 15-Dec. 24)
OPENING PRAYER - THE ANGELIC SALUTATION
"Hail! Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, 0 Virgin Theotokos: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls." CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!
DISCUSSION Discuss any of the following In Matthew 1:21 we read: "…and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." "Jesus" is the Greek for the Jewish name Joshua, which means "God is salvation". Discuss the relationship between "Saviour" in the Angelic Salutation; "save His people" in Matthew 1:21; and the meaning of His Holy Name. How are we saved by His Incarnation? From where in Scripture does the Angelic Salutation come? "Then she spoke with a loud voice and said, \'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." Explain the following, who speaks it, and where is it found in the Bible? \'Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Discuss how you celebrate the Birth of Christ in your home. What family tradition has been passed down to you and how do you keep the celebration Holy, not merely commercial? Suggest some new ways in which the Birth of Christ will be the meaning of Christmas for your children. Try this now, and with your children: Sing a Christmas carol and find the words you sing somewhere in the Bible.
RECOMMENDED READING
1. THE ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE: The following and the footnotes: Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23; Luke 2:7. "My Life in Christ", St. John of Kronstadt. 2. MAKING GOD REAL IN THE ORTHODOX HOME, Mthony M. Coniaris. 3. A GUIDE FOR THE DOMESTIC CHURCH, Diocese of Newton.
SPIRITUAL AIDS
PRAISES: 1 Chr.16:4, 9; 2 Chr.20:21, 29:30; Ezra 3:10; Neh.9:5; Psalms: 9:1-2, 34:1-3, 35:28, 50:23, 65:1, 119:164, 101:1, 147:1, 150:6; Luke 18:a43, 19:37; Romans 15:11; 1 Peter 2:9. : THANKSGIVING: 1 FOOD FOR THOUGHT "And so, my brothers, the feast of the Nativity of Christ reminds us that we are born of God, that we are sons of God (1 John 3:1), that we have been saved from sin (Matt. 1:21) and that we must live for God and not sin; not for flesh and blood, not for the world which lies in evil (1 John 5:19). What does the Incarnation of the Son of God require of us? It requires of us to remember and hold in sacred honor the fact that we are born of God; and if we have sullied and trampled upon this birthright with our sins, we must restore it by washing it with tears of repentance; we must restore and renew within us the image of God which has fallen and the union with God and blessedness, truth and holiness which has been destroyed. \'Now God became man, that He may make Adam a god\'." St. John of Kronstadt. "My Life in Christ. B#61. OUOTATIONS TO PONDER 1. "When I meditated upon Jesus I always saw him either as an infant in the manger seeing His mother Mary\'s face for the first time, or, staring from the crucifix at His mother Mary\'s face for the last time." P.35, Spiritual Sayings of KahIil Gibran 2. "Great little One! Whose all-embracing birth, Lifts Earth to Heaven, stoops Heaven to Earth." Richard Crashaw, "An Hymn of the Nativity". 3. "Little Jesus, wast thou shy, Once, and just as small as I? And What did it feel to be, Out of Heaven and just like me?" Francis Thompson "Ex Ore Infantum". * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * REMEMBER ADVENT AND Advent in preparation of His Magnificent Birth. "He (the Devil) does not dare look at you directly because he sees the Light blazing from your head and blinding his eyes." St. John Chrysostom, Baptismal Homily. ARE YOU SMILING?:
