A COMMUNITY CALLED CHRISTMAS

A COMMUNITY CALLED "CHRISTMAS"

By Father Daniel Rohan

I noticed an article in the Travel Section of the Terre Haute Newspaper regarding the apprehension of the Israelis over the growing throngs of tourists which come every year at Christmas time. So they have issued special permits. You can’t just go into Bethlehem anymore. You have to have a special permit. And if you want to get into the Basilica of the Nativity, for Christmas Services, it’s by special invitation only. Unless you know someone you can’t even go. I don’t know why that strikes me as amusing, but it does. Think about the baby of a carpenter and peasant woman who couldn’t even find a place to be born. And now to get there you have to have a permit and special invitation.

The musician Stevie Wonder wrote this song:

Someday at Christmas, men won’t be boys,

playing with bombs like kids play with toys,

One warm December our hearts will see

A world where men are free.

Someday at Christmas, There’ll be no war

When we’ve learned what Christmas is for,

When we have found what life’s really worth

There’ll be peace on Earth.

Someday all our dreams will come to be

Someday in a world where men are free

Maybe not in time for you and me

But someday at Christmas time.

Someday at Christmas we’ll see a land

With no hungry children, no empty hand,

One happy morning people will share

A world where people care.

Someday at Christmas there’ll be no tears

All men are equal and no man has fears.

Someday at Christmas men will all care

Hate will be gone and love will be there.

Someday a new world that we can start

With hope in every heart.

Someday at Christmas.

A long time ago Isaiah, with similar insight, wrote these words: “For behold I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind; but be glad and rejoice forever in that which I created. For behold I create Jerusalem rejoicing and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people. No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, an old man who does not fill out his days. They shall build houses and inhabit them, they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit, they shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant and another eat, for like the days of a tree so like the days of my people be and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord and their children with them. Before they call I will answer them while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolves and the lamb shall feed together. The lion shall eat straw like the ox. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain says the Lord.”

Perhaps the most familiar aspect of the work of Isaiah is his anticipation of a saving invasion of God’s love. Perhaps the least known aspect of the writing of Isaiah is that he was not simply anticipating a single Savior, but a saving community. He was anticipating that the time would come when there would be a saving remnant, a convenant community who would assume the responsibilities of a suffering servant, responsibilities which most of us delight in assigning to one Jesus of Nazareth 2,000 years ago.

The words of Isaiah and of Stevie Wonder have to do with a community called “Christmas.” A community which refuses to abandon its responsibility to a wee baby in Bethlehem or a man on a cross but brings reality to the dream of the Prophet Isaiah that someday there will be a convenant community, a community of commitment which will dare to assume the full responsibility of the suffering servant. Suffering means self-offering. Someday there will be a community called “Christmas.” Christmas means Christ Mass — the Christ for the masses.

We spoke about the Christ being inclusive rather than exclusive. God’s spirit, love, light is inclusive. A community called “Christmas” is a community of total commitment to love; not a popular thing but every once in a while someone dares to put together the real meaning of Isaiah’s words. Prophecy does not mean “predict the future”. Prophecy means, “I speak for God.” Isaiah was speaking for God when he anticipated that sometime the power of the claim of love upon the lives of men would cause such commitment, not a little dash and a little dab there, but such a total commitment that there would be a community called “Christmas”; a convenant community that would dare to practice self-offering, that would be able to recognize;

“This is the night. ..

When a worried world abandons argument

And breathes its plea for peace

In the quiet of a stable. “—Author Unknown

They would dare to be that loving, caring, year

roundgiving, gentle community called “Christmas”.

I wonder what would happen, “If a beginning were

really made in the Word”

There are many bits of poetry, snits and snatches of insight, which begin, “Well, now it’s over again”. “So once again we’ve celebrated Christmas.” “So, now it’s past.” But what if Christmas weren’t past? What if this little rag tag band of committed people dared to become a community called “Christmas?” What if? What if we decided to make a total commitment here and now today, with all that we are, all that we have, of all the potential for what we will be? Dare this day in all of our parishes of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese to be that saving remnant? Not now and then, but all the time? What if we decided to put all our substance, all our being, all our hopes and dreams on the line today? What if?

We would make our promises and design our affirmations based on the gifts which have been given to us. Think about these gifts and make your promises to accept them. “The gift of life is marked with your name, and lovingly given to you — Accept it. The gift of peace is marked with your name and lovingly given to you — Accept it. The gift of joy is marked with your name and lovingly given to you — Accept it. The gift of wisdom is marked with your name and lovingly given to you — Accept it. The gift of courage is marked with your name and lovingly given to you — Accept it. Divine approval is a gift marked with your name and lovingly given to you — Accept it.”

“The challenge to be a Community called ‘Christmas’ is the greatest challenge we will ever receive. There is no reason to cop out claiming we lack power, that we lack some spiritual gift, that we haven’t yet received. No one is lacking any spiritual gift. To say we are lacking is to deny the call to become the community called ‘Christmas’. We are capable of more than we know! We are greater than we realize. This is the truth about us. Accept it. Make a promise now to become, with all our being and all our substance, the community called ‘Christmas’. Go forth each day claiming and proclaiming that we are indeed citizens, an active participating citizen, of a community called ‘Christmas’.”

CHRIST IS BORN!

INDEED HE IS AND ALWAYS SHALL BE!

AN ATOM FOR CHRISTMAS AND EVERY DAY

A CHRISTMAS SERMON by FATHER THEODORE E. ZITON

We are living in hard times. If we were disappointed in the peace and rehabilitation of nations that followed World War I, we can well be alarmed at the situation that prevails after World War II. After all, only an Armistice ended the first, and no doubt we were too presumptuous in thinking that peace had come to the end at the second because there followed “Korea” and now “Viet-Nam.”

The last half century has seen a lot of changes in the religious, political and social life of all nations of the world. Even our wars have lowered their ethical standards. Savage attacks on neighboring countries without warning or possible justification in conscience have been the order of this new day. Women are treated as they were in the old pagan centuries, children are left to starve, art is destroyed and culture is no longer valued. God is not feared any more and His temples are given no respect. And as for our neighbor, the word has lost its meaning. We loot his possessions, we blast his reputation and, if it suits our purpose, we purge his nation, his race and his civilization.

Now, this is indeed a dismal picture of the world in which we live. It can’t be a mere question of our lot or circumstances. There must be some reason and explanation for it. Such a predicament, so many evils, could not deluge the whole world at the same time unless some common force was universally causing and motivating it. The situation is simply the inevitable and natural consequence of man’s new plan; that is, trying to get along without God and His law. We have complicated our system of living because we have tried to eliminate the ONE Who could make it run smoothly, so simply. Man has tried to settle world problems with atomic and hydrogen bombs when all that was needed was good will and understanding of man’s needs.

Man’s belief in his own self-sufficiency is very widespread today. So many claim that no special institutions, no strict moral discipline, no external authority and no Divine accountability are necessary to their progress, that man has adopted the belief that his happiness and well­being would result from the freedom of doing whatever he wanted without any external restrictions. Instead of being proud of his creation in the image and likeness of God, endowed with intelligence and free will, man aspires to be his own creator. Just as generations ago, Holy Scriptures tell us, men tried to reach Heaven by a structure of brick and mortar and failed because a confusion of tongues possessed them, so too, men today will never agree on the terms of world peace and prosperity if only worldly issues are considered and God is left out of the plans.

So what is the answer to the world crisis? We are exhausted from asking questions and it is time that we busy ourselves with the more important affair of looking for the answers. Believers, the world over, stand by the opinion that the Christian Gospel has in itself all that the world needs. On the other band, militarists and materialists, disregarding the supernatural, confine their hopes to arms and their faith to atom and hydrogen bombs. These are fashionable, of course, for we are living in a so-called Atomic Age. We expect a lot from the atom, and it does seem strange for a world with the colossal, the stupendous, the grandiose at its command, to be so ready to worship at the new scientific shrine of the little atom.

And, speaking of atoms, there is one little ATOM that the world seems to have forgotten, at least in practice for a lot of people, and that is the little Atom that came down from Heaven more than nineteen hundred years ago on Christmas night. Like the atomic power of our scientific discovery, the Christ Child is infinite power in small space. The full force of that “atomic” Christ Child, given full say and sway in the world, could revolutionize it and cure it of all its ills and woes.

Now there are two great needs which people of every age always have. Man needs, on the one hand, a restraining influence which will save him from becoming small and superficial. And, on the other hand, he needs a key to the tangle of human relationships. Something that will solve the old, old problem of people living together in brotherly love. It would seem that the message of the Gospel is the only thing that could fill these requirements. Accept Christ, accept the Christ Child and His teachings in the Spirit which is called Holy. Then and only then will there be peace in the world.

Our scientific and mechanical progress is amazing. It is astounding the triumph over material things we have lived to see. But they have their limitation. Someone has said about science: “It knows a little about everything, but it cannot tell you the whole truth about anything.” Moreover, what it does tell us is not always about the things that matter most. Maybe, too, we are just not sufficiently grown up to use all modern scientific findings. There are many things in life, like the atom and hydrogen bomb, we just can’t handle—yet.

Man needs moral and spiritual power to enable him to control the instruments he has discovered. It’s no use looking in the New Testament for a program of Atomic Control, unless we are ready to accept the principles of good moral behaviour. Christ never gave people a program without at the same time giving them the principles to uphold it. Interest in the material things of life, supremacy of the spiritual: that is the goal. How to combine the two in rightful proportion? That IS the secret of man’s happiness.

The world is groping for that very secret, for that which will bridge the gulf, for that which will bring the nations of the universe into some kind of fraternal bond of law and order and peaceful reconstruction, something that will lift men away from economic selfishness and aggressive nationalism. In a word, we are looking for a peaceful world, a world in which all men can find the means of livelihood and the right to the pursuit of happiness.

It is a colossal task. When all is said and done, the greatest obstacles for most men are found in themselves, that is their own personal conduct. We easily blame the faith, religion, fate or our circumstances, when in reality the causes of our failure lie within ourselves. For instance, we speak of the influence of heredity on character, of education and surroundings on our attitudes towards life, of friends and associates on our behaviour. These cannot absolve us from personal responsibility, but they surely modify it. And it’s not enough for men to recognize their weaknesses or find outside of themselves the contributing causes. They must sincerely amend their ways by serious effort to improve.

A new era is beginning. People and leaders are trying to find solutions for economic ills. World conferences, study groups, investigations, social experiments, new kinds of human living, all these and hosts of others are being employed to find a good answer and a remedy for a sick world. And here comes Christmas: a yearly reminder and a measure and a message of peace to the world. Christ came with a program for world harmony. History has shown us that the more closely we have adhered to it, the happier we were; the further we strayed, the more miserable we became.

Our future, and the future stability of world conditions, depend on the Christian form of civilization. God’s words, “A little child shall lead them” are timely and imperative today for those who are settling the destiny of nations. We must accept the Christ Child or be ready for our doom. And so here’s Christmas and the Christ Child . . . a power all wrapped in swaddling clothes. An ATOM FOR CHRISTMAS AND EVERY DAY — 1970. •

Christmas Warfare

Homily By Father James C. Meena

I take this opportunity to wish all of you a very blessed and most joyous New Year as we celebrate the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I embrace you in the Name of the Lord and pray that between now and the Christmas which is to come, 365 days from now, that our situation in the life of the world shall be infinitely better than it is today. I ask you to continue praying for those being held hostage by Godless Regimes, to continue praying for those suffering persecution behind the Iron Curtain at the hands of anti-Christ and for all those who are struggling to know God and who are being interfered with by those who would be anti-God.

As we join together in this exceptionally holy season of the year, the Nativity of our Lord, let us not forget that we are commissioned as Christians and as His followers to carry the message of the Word, the good news which He came to proclaim. We come together as Orthodox Christians to offer up our prayers of joy and thanksgiving on this special holy day because the Nativity of Christ is of great significance to us.

It should not be wasted upon us that historically the Church did not celebrate the birth of Jesus as a separate feast day until three or four centuries after the Church was commissioned by Christ but rather His birth was celebrated in conjunction with His baptism, both being acts of initiation, both being significant to the beginning of the life of the Church. It was not until some time later that the fathers of the Church determined that the birth of Christ should be celebrated not simply because it was an important event that should be set apart, but because it should be set up as a counterbalance to the pagan practices which were prevalent in those days.

We have been fighting this battle with pagan practices for some 1800 years and we win a battle here and we lose a battle there but I assure you the war will not be decided until The Second Coming of Christ. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us as followers of Christ to continue to be aware of the fact that we are involved in a warfare that is unseen, against enemies which are invisible, enemies who struggle to tear us apart spiritually at every possible opportunity.

It’s about time we got excited about the reality that we are soldiers of God, that we have been enlisted into His army by our baptism and by virtue of our commitment to Him and that we are commissioned to do the tasks which He has ordained us to do, namely, to carry the good news to the whole world, to transform all of creation so that the whole of creation might rejoice and sing today: “Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth, Peace, Good Will among men.”

“Christ is Born:" says the ancient hymn of the Church and it responds, “Glorify Him!”

Christ is born and skeptics have been scattered!

Christ is born and doubters have been refuted!

Christ is born and sadness has been repudiated!

Christ is born and glory has come upon the face of the earth!

Christ is born and hope has been manifested in the hearts of men!

Christ is born and the powers of hell have been dispelled!

Christ is born and we are reborn with Him that we, like the shepherds and the magi, might fall down before Him and hail Him as our Lord and Master and as the Prince of Peace in a world that knows no peace.

CHRISTMAS: A GREAT FEAST

CHRISTMAS: A GREAT FEAST

OR A SECULAR HOLIDAY?

BY V. REV. MICHAEL ABDELAHAD

During the month of September, I needed to purchase a birthday card. I entered the card store, “... when what to my wondering eyes should appear, but ...” a display of Christmas ornaments. My initial reaction was surprise, because I had never seen this display put out so early. Usually, they wait until Halloween is over, don’t they? Surprise turned to indignation as I asked my usual question: “What does this have to do with the birth of Jesus?” At that point, however, I decided to abandon my usual pre-Christmas cynicism and give this display the benefit of the doubt. Walking over to the display of ornaments with an open mind, here is what I found: Star Trek and Star Wars ornaments; Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Henry Aaron ornaments; Disney character ornaments alongside Bugs Bunny and his friends. It is certainly not hard to imagine that Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa ornaments will be available shortly. There was an entire section devoted to St. Nicholas, but instead of finding a true depiction of the sainted Archbishop, I found the universally accepted image of a “fat, jolly, old elf’ in a red suit. During my browsing, I did see an occasional angel ornament and, tucked away on the bottom shelf, I finally found a Nativity scene. Unfortunately, this exercise only served to reinforce what I have felt for a long time . . . December 25th has become a secular holiday, and it presents us, as Orthodox Christians, with a series of contrasts and contradictions. For the sake of this article, I have chosen to reflect on two.

1. Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas

One of the most visible contradictions for Orthodox Christians is the contrast between Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas. If we look at an icon of Saint Nicholas and compare it with a picture of Santa Claus, there is no physical resemblance whatsoever. The differences, however, go much deeper than physical appearance. Santa Claus is the embodiment of “getting”. Every child who sits in Santa’s lap at the local mall is asked “What do YOU WANT for Christmas?” Saint Nicholas, on the other hand, is the embodiment of “giving to others”. Hopefully, we are all aware of the many stories of Saint Nicholas’ benevolence in his ministry as Archbishop of Myra. He is especially known for his generosity toward children, and he reflects the Scriptural attitude of defending and upholding the poor and the fatherless. While Santa Claus has become synonymous with self-indulgence, Saint Nicholas challenges us to charitable works.

II. “Eat, drink and be merry” or the Nativity Fast

In our society, the period preceding Christmas is a time of frenzied activity. Much of this activity is inevitable, based on the fact that an important day is approaching. Much of it, however, is completely avoidable and not at all in keeping with the majesty that this Great Feast deserves. How often do we hear people say: “I can’t wait until Christmas is over?” How often do we encounter people who are desperate for something to do on December 27th or 28th, but are just too exhausted to do anything? How often do we hear people talking about their “post-holiday depression”? How often are we the people who are too tired and too frustrated to enjoy the celebration? Activities like shopping, cooking, baking and cleaning may be unavoidable when it comes to this type of celebration. Do we have to immerse ourselves, however, in a forty-day period of celebration prior to December 25th?

The Orthodox Church mandates that a forty-day period of fasting precede the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is our unwillingness to immerse ourselves in this Fast, however, that leaves us tired, frustrated and exhausted. Compare, for a moment, the joyful exhaustion that accompanies Great Lent with the exhaustion that accompanies Christmas shopping and parties. They are not at all alike, are they? As Orthodox Christians, we would find a way to avoid massive celebrations in the days leading up to Pascha. Why are we so unwilling to do the same thing during the Nativity Fast?

Sadly, when it comes to our preparation for the Feast of the Nativity we settle for local customs at the expense of the Tradition of the Church. Forty days of celebrating is chosen over the Nativity Fast and the celebration of the twelve days of Christmas. Thanksgiving turkey is chosen over maintaining our Fast. We even joke about a “one-day dispensation” that doesn’t exist. We must understand that by making these choices, we are choosing 200 years of traditions over nearly 2,000 years of Holy Tradition. Is that a trade that we are really willing to make?

—What can I do? I am only one person.

1. A critical decision needs to be made. Do I want to be a practicing Orthodox Christian or a member of mainstream society? Answering this question will determine whether or not we choose to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity or Christmas.

2. Having decided to be Orthodox Christians, we must rededicate ourselves to the concept of Fast, Feast, post-Feast, leave-taking. To celebrate this blessed event before December 25th is very presumptuous on our part. We are quick to ask Western churches how they can celebrate Palm Sunday before the Passover. We must begin to ask ourselves a similar question regarding the Nativity.

3. Return Saint Nicholas to his rightful place as an Archbishop who championed the cause of the needy. The Nativity fast must be a time when we concern ourselves with the scriptural mandate to give alms, i.e., to provide for others instead of for ourselves. During Vespers on the eve of the Feast of the Nativity, we hear the following words: “What shall we offer thee, O Christ, who for our sake has appeared on earth as man? Every creature made by thee offers thee thanks. The angels offer thee a hymn; the heavens a star; the Magi, gifts; the shepherds, their wonder; the earth, its cave; the wilderness, the manger; and we offer thee a virgin Mother. O pre-eternal God, have mercy on us.” An important aspect of the celebration of the Nativity is our offering to Christ, through our devotion to the “least of the brethren”. If we are not upholding the poor, the widow and the fatherless, if we are not caring for our neighbor as the Good Samaritan did, then we are not making an offering to Christ.

4. We cannot expect to change anything unless we are willing to take the first step.

Give the Gift of Truth

Give the Gift of Truth
Date: November 30, 2005
By Philip Nasr

Imagine if you were told that you held the key to eternity, that you would be able to live beyond time. How would you feel? Would you be filled with joy or fear? Would you keep it for yourself or offer it to others?

We must ask ourselves this very question because in fact we do hold the key to eternity. It is what we do with this key that will determine whether our lives are filled with fear or joy.

There are many Christians who believe in Jesus Christ and live a blessed life and yet, for one reason or another, are outside the Orthodox Faith. The Church teaches us that it is not our role to judge the salvation of these people: to do so is to sit on God’s throne. Nevertheless, as Orthodox, we know that we have been given the Truth about God and the Truth about Man in the teaching and worship of the Orthodox Church.  Therefore, if we do not live up to our commitment to Christ, we will face a far greater judgment by virtue of the fact that we have been blessed to know the truth. Central to our commitment to Christ and His Church is our obligation to relay His Truth to the world. We must all open our hearts and live like Christ so that everyone may witness and share in Christ, the Key to eternity.

Our society has transformed Christmas into a season of giving material gifts to one another. People look forward to opening a present from a loved one or a friend. Many people enjoy making others feel loved through gifts. Christ also wants to make His children feel loved by giving them the gift of Himself, and he expects us to be His co-workers in this endeavor. He wants us to make others smile by sharing the love He gives so freely to us.

As the Nativity of our Lord comes ever closer, we should take time to reflect on ourselves, family, friends, and especially on our prayers. We should remember Christ by giving to the Church, both monetarily and through our participation in Her sacramental life: we must not forget to return to Christ the best part of the love He so generously pours out on us.

Our Lord was born of the Holy Theotokos for the salvation of our souls. It does not matter how much you give to Christ, what matters is the fact that you give in obedience as God directs. Take time to talk to a friend. Invite someone to church. Talk to someone about the Church. Give as a Christmas gift a book on Orthodoxy or a CD of Church hymns rather than the latest movie or novel. This Christmas, give someone the gift of Truth: give someone the gift of Christ. 

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR

by Father Michael Massouh

Wonder! You can see it in the eyes. In the eyes of children in particular, but also in the eyes of adults. What is this wonder? Why, with the cynicism and crassness of today’s world, do people suspend reason, and hope that the myths and the fantasies come true.

Wonder? Yes, wonder. The ability to wish, to hope, to realize childhood fantasies, to want to make the world a better place, to want people to treat each other as people — as God’s children.

Wonder. It’s a powerful phenomena. I saw it in the eyes of a grown woman in the choir of a church in Upstate New York. When she marched in with the choir to take her seat in the front of the church, there was a look on her haggard face that this was just another obligatory Christmas Eve service to get through, and get back home to complete the final preparations for her children the next day. It looked like she was unhappy and tired, having put in a full day of unsatisfying work at the office. Singing tonight was just one more chore she had to endure.

She was attractive, blond hair and striking features, but her face looked drained. Her life did not look particularly easy nor plentiful. The blond hair had not been coiffured into some beauty shop sensation. She obviously had not time for the beauty shop nor time to waste on herself. She sat through the early part of the service, sang the appointed hymns, and then waited while the priest made introductory remarks before his sermon.

There was, however, something special in the air that night. The rustling of children anticipating Christmas, coughs and paper shuffling noises from the adults. Candles glowing from every pew. And the priest was joyful. It was his first Christmas Eve service at this church, so very few parishioners had an idea of what he would say or do.

He began with a reading from Scriptures, from Isaiah, and then Luke. But, then he asked all the children to come forward and sit with him as he completed the readings. He then asked the children in turn what they thought about the readings and what they were looking forward to the next day.

As each child responded there was an anticipation, a youthful innocence, a glow that became contagious. Each hardened adult sensed it, and began to smile, to engage in the wonder, yes the wonder of the Christ Child, and the wish to believe that it was indeed true that He was born into the world just as the Scriptures said.

The hardened blond lady in the choir began to engage in the mood of the sermon and the children’s responses. Her eyes became alert, and opened with, yes wonder. As each child answered the priests question, or said something innocent that touched a nerve in the adults, it brought a chuckle or a hearty laugh to the congregation, and a smile to the blond lady’s face. You could see her recall her own childhood, when she possessed the innocence of these children, when she believed, when times were better.

What is there about the story of the Christ child that awakens wonderful thoughts in children and adults? Or, what about the story of Santa Claus?

Now here is a 19th Century account of a traveling St. Nick with flying reindeer. Before the Reverend Clement Moore wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas as a poem to entertain his daughter, St. Nicholas was the beloved Bishop of Myra in third Century Christendom. He was beloved because of his generosity, of helping people unobtrusively. His feast day in the church is celebrated on December 6th and he did bring gifts to people at night without their knowing it. So, there is a connection between Clement Moore’s St Nick filling each stocking and the third Century bishop St. Nicholas leaving gifts unobtrusively in empty shoes.

Now, the St. Nick of Clement Moore has become the Santa Claus of commercial downtown, uptown, and mall North America. He and his many variants, both human and animal, are the subject of TV specials in December. His reindeer are imbued with all sorts of peculiar powers. Even the movies have taken Santa to their hearts or at least to their pocketbooks. Whether Hollywood continues the beneficence or introduces malevolence into the legend, Santa reigns. Occasionally, he may not be mentioned explicitly, but Hollywood releases movies for the Holiday Season whose themes are wonder, fantasy, hope, or a return to childhood innocence. WHY?

Is it because we want to believe in the wonder of miracles? Do we want to hold onto innocence? The grown-up world we inhabit is not a pleasant place. People are uncaring. Economic reality hurts. It is hard. The political system, whether in this country or anywhere in the world, is tarnished and corrupt. It does not help people; on the contrary it demands a great deal — putting up with politicians, taxes, service and perhaps death in the armed forces, and other not so pleasing duties.

So, it’s that time of year when the world falls in love, when it tries to recall a better way, a better time, a better future. Houses, stores, churches, schools, offices are decorated. People go out of their way to act like people should to each other, to capture the innocence of childhood and forget the realities of the harsh world, and to wonder. Families get together, special arrangements are made to gather the clan from as far and near as necessary. It is also a time to take stock of ones life and measure it against enduring standards, to recall friends and good times, and to hope that the world will enjoy peace among all men.

Wonder. Did you ever wonder about wonder? Why is it so captivating? I remember a lecture that an emeritus professor of mathematics gave. Dr. Elbert Clark was reputed to be one of the first mathematicians to understand the theories and implications of Albert Einstein’s work. He was a legend on the small liberal arts campus, and as juniors some of us decided to invite him to speak to us at a student sponsored dinner. The dinner was a way to repay the faculty who had been so kind to us over the year, being available for endless questions about ourselves and the cosmos, inviting us to their homes or apartments for tea or for dinner, and just being supportive. Each junior was to invite his or her favorite professor and pay for themselves and their guest’s dinner. At this high affair it was felt that it should end with sherry and a talk from one of the faculty. What better choice than Dr. Clarke.

Dr. Clarke was tall and lanky with long white hair. He stooped, perhaps more from a lifetime of leaning over to hear students than from old age. His eyes darted from one person to another. No one, not even the organizers, knew what his topic was going to be. We had asked him to make appropriate remarks for such an occasion. He began by thanking us for the dinner and for the conversations, and then in more of a conversational tone than in a formal lecture style he began to speak of wonder.

Wonder, he said, was the thing that kept him young. As much as he had read and studied, and as much as he had thought about the world, the heavens, the theories of the universe, and about people, he was struck by the wonder of it all. He asked us to maintain always a place for wonder in our lives. There were matters that were still unknown in science and mathematics and about the physical world. As far as human beings were concerned, not much was known at all. And of the things that were known, it was amazing to discover the relationships and interrelationships that existed. The order of the universe, the relationship of elements, the ways of the seasons, the biological adaptations — all of these were wonders, suggesting the unknown, some mystery of life.

Wonderful, being full of wonder. In our day to day world there is very little time to be full of wonder. Being full of wonder is no way to get the daily job and chores done, or to get ahead. So, we suspend our sense of wonder, it’s not realistic, it’s not grown-up. We bury our sense of the unknown, of the mystery of life, to get through the day, the week, the month, and the year. But, at the end of the year when we cannot bear to deny the sense of wonder any longer, we have an acceptable rationale to be young at heart, to be kids again, to be innocent, to engage in fantasy, in mystery. At the beginning of winter, during the shortest days of the year when the nights are the longest, when it is cold and dark, when the tax year ends, when we are at our wits end, we have a reason to celebrate, to unwind, to forget our cares and woes, to suspend the rules of the daily game. And so we watch the Nutcracker, the Christmas stories, the Santa shows, and listen to Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Ahmal and the Night Visitors, and all other stories that promise a sense of adventure, of fantasy, of disbelief, and of caring.

Adults say all this is for the kids. But, I wonder. It is as much for the grown-ups as it is for the kids. At what other time of year can one decorate the house, or the office, or have parties, and exchange gifts without having to explain why one is spending money foolishly? At what other time of year can one be kind to another person without everyone wondering what’s up? At what other time of year are mistakes and slip-ups overlooked?

Yes, there is a sense of wonder, as Dr. Clarke said. that requires exercise. We need wonder like we need food and drink. It is a part of being human. But, where do we look for the wonder? In man-made stories and fantasies? Are they satisfying? I am reminded of St. Paul addressing the Athenians about their monument to an unknown god. The Athenians believed there was an unknown god in addition to all the other ones that they knew. It was St. Paul who pointed out to them that this unknown god was the creator of the universe and the Maker of all things, including the Athenians. And, further that His Son, the Christ, was born of a Virgin, crucified, and rose from the dead. Christ is the reason for the Season.

Speak about wonder? One of His names is Wonderful! Another is Counselor. Think about it, is it not a wonder that God gave us mortals His only begotten Son to teach us about caring for each other and to know that God is Our Father? Have you ever wondered where would we be as modern people if that event had not taken place in Bethlehem 2000 years ago? Still in a state of confusion wondering about which Greek god to appease and attempting to satisfy all of them? We would possess the Ten Commandments to guide us, but no Sermon on the Mount, no parables. How discouraging and hopeless. So, Christ coming into the world has made a positive and hopeful difference.

The stories of Creation, of Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection are real wonders and mysteries. They are the basis for fantasies of the Christmas season. They are true. Why do we look to man-made stories for inspiration and for indulging our need for wonder? What repels us from looking to the Father as the source of all wonder not just at Christmas time, but throughout the entire year?

Why expect a Santa to fulfill all desires, and to hope that reindeer fly? Why engage in thoughts about a talking snowman or a red nosed reindeer, when the wonders of God are as near as our hearts? When guardian angels and the seraphim and cherubim watch over all of us? Why do we deny the reality of the Christ child, but accept and hope that a Santa visits each house once a year?

It’s that time of year when the world falls in love. Shall we think of falling in love with God and having Christmas throughout the year? Would it not be a better world if we put into practice our suspension of the rules at Christmas time each day of the year? Think about it. It’s that time of year to wonder.

On the Nativity of the Lord: Metropolitan PHILIP's 1994 Christmas Sermon

What is a merciful heart? It is a heart that burns with love for the whole creation—for men, for birds, for beasts, for demons and for every creature. —St. Isaac the Syrian

Christmas music is filling the air. In every home there is a Christmas tree; some are real and some are plastic. Lights of every color are glittering in windows, shops, bars and even the discos. Some people are selling, some are buying, some are eating, some are drinking and some are starving to death.

I put a ^"Do Not Disturb" sign on my door because Christmas Eve is a very special and private time to me. I want to be alone in order to embrace all men and love all things. In the depths of my aloneness, the past, the present and the future become one single moment. In the depths of my aloneness I experience that boundless love which encompasses the whole creation. I am alone on Christmas Eve but not lonely, because in Christ Jesus there is no loneliness and there is no separation. The walls are destroyed and the barriers are no more. The Child of the manger has reconciled everything to Himself; henceforth, there is no race, no color, no conflict and no hatred; in Him there is "a new heaven and a new earth."

Christmas Eve, to me, is a time for reflection. The year is slowly sinking into the ocean of eternity, and in my reflection there are painful questions:

Did I love Him enough? Did I serve Him enough? Did I suffer enough? Did I forgive enough? How many tears did I dry? How many wounds did I bind? Was I faithful to Him who loved me beyond measure? How loving and compassionate is God, that despite my sinfulness and unworthiness, He ^"became flesh and dwelt amongst us.^" What an unfathomable condescension that He assumed our nature in order to make us par-takers of His nature. Despite His Incarnation, He will always remain incognito in this world if we don't care for each other. But do we really care? Have we seen the starving children on our television screens? Have we ever seen so much despair, so much misery and so much helplessness? These are our brothers and sisters, His brothers and sisters. How sad it is that we do not see the tragedy unless it is projected for us on the screen!

Tonight the Body and Blood of this tender Child will touch millions of lips throughout this troubled world. This divine touch will make us Christlike if we care and respond to His love. To be Christlike, we must be born with Him in the manger, crucified with Him on the Cross and resurrected with Him from the dead. The manger, the Cross, and the empty tomb—these are one single event which sums up the entire history of salvation.

It is Christmas Eve, and another year is about to dawn on us. Let Your light shine upon us so that we may see a new vision, sing a new song and dream a new dream. And if we live to celebrate another Christmas, give us courage to love You more, serve You more and worship You more "in spirit and in truth."

From And He Leads Them: The Mind and Heart of Philip Saliba, Joseph J. Allen, ed. (Ben Lomond California: Conciliar Press, 2004), pp. 385f.

PEACE ON EARTH

by THE RT. REVEREND ARCHIMANDRITE ILYAS T. KURBAN

“Glory be to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will among men.” This is the hymn which was sung by the group of angels, almost two thousand years ago.

Is there peace on earth? This word has been commercialized to an extent that it has lost its real meaning and purpose. It has been vulgarized and abused.

Great nations, small nations, communities, individuals, commit the greatest crimes under the cover of peace. Where are we from peace today? Yes, the angels cried, “on earth peace,” but humanity has been suffering from wars, diseases, natural calamities, hatred, mistrust, vengeance, and killings. Planes collide and hundreds of thousands of people die for no reason; gales and hurricanes rise and devastate homes, gardens, trees and take a huge number of human lives; the ocean rises to break and swallow ships and human beings.

For the last fifty years, humanity has witnessed two world wars and has suffered unbelievable losses. New nations have seen the light. Cries for independence and self-determination overshadow any other cry, but with the emergence of the new nations and with the ever-growing cry of freedom and independence, humanity is far from solving its problems. New crimes, new massacres, new hatreds, vengeances, and diseases have arisen. Humanity today, like the humanity of old is deceiving itself. If Hamurabi Ramses, Hannibal, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar couldn’t solve our problems, so also, Napoleon, Hitler and the present rulers of today are unable to do so.

We hear today in the opposite camp the cry for peace, but under cover, huge stocks of the most dreadful weapons are piled up to be used to kill and annihilate human life. We admit the fact that we are more advanced than our ancestors in every field of science and knowledge, but it does not make the slightest difference. Men are still killing one another. The only difference, and as a result of our progress, mass killing is more perfected today than ever before.

The memories of the last war are still fresh in our minds. Disturbances and bloody revolts are almost in every continent and country; social and family problems are on the increase, there is no mutual trust, fidelity or integrity. Man thinks he can solve his problems without the help of God. The results are misunderstanding, deception and dangerous deviation in our social order and structure.

Yes, the angels are still singing the hymn of peace and in spite of the fact that peace is a reality, we misunderstand its real meaning. The incarnation of our Lord is a reality, the Kingdom of God is at hand, but it is for those who choose it. The Kingdom of God is the kingdom of true peace, the peace that we have when we belong to Jesus and His Church.

We can have peace in spite of all the atomic bombs and armies. Our peace is the peace of mind, the peace that is from above, the peace of God.

Our world is the world of appearance. Don’t be misled by the false prophets of social reform and human justice. There is no reformation, no justice, outside of God. He is our hope and our life. His kingdom is for those who accept His Word and do His Will. Let us really be His children; let us constantly pray that we may get His blessings and His forgiveness in this new year, and that we may have the power and strength to quell our passions and our treacherous and wrong desires. Let us worship God that we may be filled with His grace and love.

Do not be proud of your own personal achievement. Pride is the source of all sin, and no matter how much you do, you still have more to do. Our whole life is a struggle and strife to achieve a better life. There is no rest and no retirement.

May Almighty God grant all the knowledge of His truth, and may each and every one of us have peace, love and understanding. May we forgive one another that we may help one another and may we be liberated from the slavery of our egoism and selfishness. May God grant our sick health and restoration and comfort the hearts of the suffering, and may He repose the souls of all our beloved ones in His glorious and happy kingdom.

REFLECTIONS ON THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

REFLECTIONS ON THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
From the Nativity homily of St. John Chrysostomos,
Archbishop and Patriarch of Constantinople, 354-407 AD

I behold a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the Shepherds' song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He Who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised.

Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of Justice. And ask now how; for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things move in obedience to God.

"But what shall I say? What shall I utter? *Behold an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Mary is present, who is both Virgin and Mother, Joseph is present, who is called father. He is called husband, she is called wife. The names indeed are lawful, but there is no other bond. We speak here of words, not of things. He was espoused to her, but the Most High overshadowed her. Hence, Joseph, doubting, knew not what to call the Infant. He would not dare to say that It was conceived in adultery; he could not speak harshly against the Virgin; he shrank from calling the Child his own. He knew well that here was something unknown to him; how or whence was this Child born? And being anxious because of this, there came to him a message, by the voice of an angel, which said: *Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Spirit."

From a sermon of St. Cyril of Alexandria,
Patriarch of Alexandria, + 444 A.D

"He Who sits upon the sublime and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger. And He Who cannot be touched, Who is simple, without complexity, and incorporeal, now lies subject to the hands of men. He Who has broken the bonds of sinners, is now bound by an infant's bands."

"Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice: for the Son who is co-eternal with the Father, having his throne and like him without beginning, in his compassion and merciful love for mankind has submitted himself to emptying, according to the good pleasure and the counsel of the Father; and he has gone to dwell in a Virgin's womb that was sanctified beforehand by the Spirit, O marvel! God is come among men; he who cannot be contained is contained in a womb; the Timeless enters time; and strange wonder! His conception is without seed, his emptying is past telling; so great is this mystery! For God empties himself, takes flesh, and is fashioned as a creature, when the angel tells the pure Virgin of her conception: 'Hail, thou who art full of grace; the Lord who has great mercy is with thee.'"

MORE ON THE NATIVITY BY SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
I behold a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the Shepherd's song, piping no soft melody but chanting forth a full heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He Who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised.

Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the starts the singing of angelic voices; and in the place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of Justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things move in obedience to God. This day He Who Is, is Born' and He Who Is, becomes what He Was Not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word, He became Flesh, His nature because of impassability, remaining unchanged.

"This day, He Who was ineffably Begotten of the Father, was for me born of the Virgin: in a way no tongue can tell. Begotten according to His nature before all ages from the Father; in what manner He knows Who has begotten Him; born again this day from the Virgin, above the order of nature, in what manner knows the power of the Holy Spirit. And His heavenly generation is true, and His generation here on earth is true. As God He is truly begotten of God; so also as man is He truly born from the Virgin. In heaven He alone is the Only-Begotten of the unique Virgin.

Though I know that a Virgin this day gave birth, and I believe that God was begotten before all time, yet the manner of this generation I have learned to venerate in silence, and I accept that this is not to be probed too curiously with wordy speech. For with God we look not for the order of nature, but rest our faith in the power of Him Who Works.

And what shall I say? And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of Days has become an infant.

He has decreed that ignominy shall become honor, infamy be clothed with glory, and total humiliation the measure of His Goodness. For this, he assumed my body, that I may become capable of his Word; taking my flesh, He gives me His Spirit; and so He bestowing, and I receiving, He prepares for me the treasure of Life. He takes my flesh, to sanctify me. He gives me His Spirit, that He may save me.

Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Come and we shall commemorate the solemn festival. It is a strange manner of celebrating a festival; but truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been implanted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels.

Why is this? Because God is now on earth, and man in heaven; on every side all things commingle. He has come on earth, while being Whole in heaven; and while complete in heaven, He is without diminution on earth. Though He was God, He became Man; not denying Himself to be God. Though being the impassable Word, He became flesh; that He might dwell among us, he became flesh, He did not become God, He was God. Wherefore He became flesh so that He Whom heaven did not contain, a manger would this day receive. He was placed in a manger so that He, by Whom all things are nourished, may receive an infant's food from His Virgin Mother. So, the Father of all ages, as an infant at the breast, nestles in the virginal arms, that the Magi may more easily see Him. Since this day the Magi too have come, and made a beginning of withstanding tyranny; the heavens give glory, as the Lord is revealed by a star.

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD

THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD

By Archpriest Michael Baroudy

Vicksburg, Mississippi

The birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is one of the most staggering facts of history. I have said staggering because our finite minds cannot fully comprehend what is involved in the birth of Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary in a town called Bethlehem. It is a mystery, the mystery of godliness, as one of the sacred writers calls it. For the Son of God to be incarnated in human flesh and blood, becoming a man, taking upon Him our human nature, is more than our finite intellectual capacity can understand.

However, we fully understand the meaning, the purpose underlying the birth of the Savior. From His blessed lips we have the answer. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, — but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). And in Luke 19:10, “The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost,” to quote scripture in this connection. But to accomplish this, God needed the cooperation of men. God’s divinity and man’s humanity jointly wrought out the miracle. Always God holds the initiative. God was first in creation. He was also first in redemption and in every contingency of life. Thus we learn that the Christian life, in order to realize its full maturity, must be linked with God, thus God becomes partner with man if the latter accords Him His rightful place.

The birth of Jesus takes us back to fundamentals, to beginnings, for if we were to have an enduring moral structure that could withstand the storms of life, understand and solve the complexities and problems of living, then we would know that man minus God cannot achieve a successful Christian living. One may succeed educationally, materially and in every other aspect of living — and yet if he were to by-pass and ignore God he would be committing the most monumental blunder!

What is going on in the world today is proof of the fact that most people are void of the knowledge that life is a partnership with God. How can we account for the ungodly practices that transpire here, in Christian America and elsewhere throughout the world? Man’s inhumanity to man, the friction, the lack of peace, harmony and unity have their origin in man’s rebellious attitude with regard to the will of God.

Let us consider at this blessed season of the year what had transpired on that day long ago to achieve our redemption —

Joseph and Mary journeyed to the Village of Bethlehem, which had been the home of their ancestors, to enroll their names in a census that had been ordered by the Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar. When they reached Bethlehem, there was no room for them in the inn and they were obliged to seek rest and lodging in an adjoining stable. In this humble place was born to Mary the son which the angel promised her. In the crude hewn stone grotto, attached to the inn as stable, among the hay and the straw spread for the food and rest of the cattle, weary with their journey, far from home, in the midst of strangers, in the chilly winter’s night, in circumstances so void of all earthly comfort or splendor that it is impossible to imagine a humbler nativity, Jesus, the Savior was born. Then and there the Virgin Mother brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger. Beyond this announcement of the bare fact, the gospel narrative draws a veil over that most sacred mystery. But as we pass from the sacred gloom of the stable out into the night, its sky all aglow with starry brightness, there is nothing now to conceal, and although no glories of earthly greatness celebrated the Messiah’s coming, heavenly glory shone upon the scene, and choirs of angels hymned the praises of the new-born King. Shepherds were amazed and dazzled by the manifestation of the heavenly glory and at the direction of the angels they came to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph as well as the famous Babe. But how little the shepherds realized the greatness of the power and love that slumbered in the child or dreamed of the mighty events, in the coming ages, that should flow from the scene they had witnessed.

To a meditative mind it is curious to pause over any cradle where an infant sleeps, and, as we look on the face so calm, and the little arms folded on the blessed breast, to think of the mighty powers and passions slumbering there, to think that this feeble nursling has heaven and hell before it that this immortal in mortal form is allied to angels, and that the life which has begun shall last when the sun is quenched, enduring throughout eternity. Much more wonderful the spectacle the manger offers, where shepherds bend their knees and angels bend their eyes. Here is present, not the immortal but the eternal, here is not one kind of matter united to another or a spiritual to an earthly element but the Creator to the creature, divine omnipotence to human weakness, the ancient of days to an infant of a day!

What deep secret of divine wisdom, power and love lie here wrapped in swaddling clothes, Mary holds in her arms, in this manger with its straw, what draws the wondering eyes and inspires the loftiest songs of angels! If that be not God’s greatest and therefore glorifying work, where are we to seek it? In what else is it found? The depth said, “It is not in me,” and the sea said, “It is not in me.” Were we to range the universe to find its rival, we should return like the dove to the ark, to the stable doors and the swaddled babe, there to mingle human voices with the heavenly choirs, singing, “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will to all men!”

Beloved brethren, at this time in human history when the world seems to be tottering on its foundation, when the universe appears to be in the hands of a great monster, toying with it and about to throw it in oblivion, the most desirable, important and essential thing today is unity, creative good will and love. Disunity in the ranks of Christian people is inconceivable. Our churches, our homes and in all our social gatherings, we should manifest love, loyalty and sincerity. How can we hope to achieve success if we exhibit a spirit of dissension and ill will. I appeal to you hereby as God-fearing Orthodox men and women, boys and girls to promote the dignity of our holy faith and to do nothing which generates ill will, lack of understanding and sympathy.

THE CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE

Very Rev. Father James C. Meena

CHRIST IS BORN — GLORIFY HIM! You know the Lord came into the world as a child, as a newborn child. As it says in the Epistle of John “…so that you and I might become the sons and daughters of God.” I mean, that is the whole purpose of this Christmas Season; to remind us not so much that Jesus was born but that He was born for a purpose. That purpose is to make you and me the children of God. Now that’s pretty fantastic. It goes on in the first epistle of St. John to talk about this sonship of God…what it means. It means that we are to love each other, that we are to help each other, that we are to commend each other, that we are to be supportive of each other, if we are really to be children of God.

Jesus came in order to give us the possibility to change our whole circumstance. Prior to the coming of Jesus the human race lived like animals. There was no love, there was no compassion, there was no mercy, there was only the law. You either lived by the law or you died. One or the other. There was no in-between. It’s a very severe way of life. Jesus came and preached another extreme; “Love your neighbor as yourself,” “Love your enemies, do good to them that hurt you and despitefully use you.” Jesus said, “I am come that you might love one another and that in loving one another your joy might be filled.” In fact He said, I am come, “so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be (fulfilled, made perfect) complete,” (St. John 15:11). “I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.”

Does that mean that we are going to the live longer than the prescribed seventy years? Not necessarily. But what Jesus was talking about is quality of life, a quality of that is immeasureably and superbly happy because there is first the commandment of love. Love God, love your neighbor, love! Love your brother, love the near neighbor and the far neighbor, love the stranger, love the poor, love the imprisoned, love those who require your compassion and your love. So the whole quality of life changed with Jesus. I think Jesus came, laws began to be changed. Nations started to become more humane and it was with Jesus coming that we have such things as the contesting of capital punishment for so trivial a crime as stealing a loaf of bread. Imagine . . . the middle ages, if you stole a loaf of bread they cut off your hand or they put you in the blocks and let people throw rotten vegetables and mud at you. Can you imagine that happening in North America? Well it happened with our pilgrim forefathers and it happened with their forefathers in Europe before them. It was with the advent of Christianity that laws began to take shape with more mercy and compassion. In fact I sometimes think maybe we’ve gone a little bit too far the other way but that’s not for me to contest and that’s not the purpose of this message.

It is through the changing of the laws that sweatshops have been eliminated: Christian people with their compassion for young children being taken practically from their mother’s bosoms and put to work in slave labor sweat shops, who rose up against this practice that eliminated the sweatshop. It was Christian people prodded by their conscience that got the women the vote. It was the Christian conscience that caused people to look with compassion on those less fortunate than themselves. I’m not talking only about individuals, I’m talking about institutions. Christian non-Christian institutions motivated out of this conscientious sense of love and the fulfillment of the joy of Christ within himself, move to help to alleviate hunger wherever and whenever they can. “I am come that my joy might be in you and that my joy might be fulfilled in you.” You have nothing to be sad about. Christ came to make you sons and daughters of God. As St. Athanasius said, “God became man so that man might are to be become God.” Fantastic concept! Something greater than we could ever conceive for ourselves!

During this Christmas, I remind you of St. Paul’s message to the Galatians and of St. John’s message to us. “I am come that my joy might be made perfect in you.” “I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.” “Peace I give you. My peace I leave with you. Not as the world gives do I give unto you.” These are words of our Lord. He gives us joy, life, peace and love. May His blessings be upon you at this holy time of the year and today and tomorrow as you gather with your families, may you rejoice with one another and be steadfastly happy in the Lord for He is good and He loves you.

THE CHRISTMAS TRAPS

Homily by Father James C. Meena

I would like to talk to you a little about Christmas. It seems that we all have a tendency to build up to Christmas as a climax anticipating the feast with all sorts of observances and celebrations and then, as soon as the day is past, forget all about it. I would like to avoid that pitfall if I might and extend our conversation about the birth of Christ through the Theophany, i.e., the celebration of His Baptism if I can, because both feasts are so closely related to each other. I would like you to consider the importance at this time of the year of reordering your priorities of putting first things first, Godly things above earthly consideration.

Most of us fall into several traps as we approach the celebration of this feast day and the Lord knows that Satan lays many snares for us, intellectual, emotional, sensual, anything by which he might trap us and make us a part of his kingdom instead of the Kingdom of God. I am afraid Satan, at this time of the year, succeeds a great deal more than he ought to and he succeeds because he has been able to convince us that we should give priority to less important things and put the most important things of spiritual value somewhere down the list in our evaluation of what is important and what is not.

For example, when we put secular consideration before worship we fall into a Christmas trap. When the giving of gifts over the giving of ourselves in repentance and recommitment to God is more important, we have fallen into a Christmas trap. When we place secular observances over the receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ, over confession and spiritual preparation for the observance of the Birth of Christ we have fallen into a Christmas trap. Using Christmas Eve as an excuse to have a party for the family rather than as an opportunity for the family to worship together at the Divine Liturgy then we have fallen into a Christmas trap. When on Christmas Day itself we emphasize feasting and celebrating without offering sincere thanks to God for His bounties we have fallen into a Christmas trap. When we enter into the season of the Nativity of Christ still bearing grudges and retaining hard feelings against others rather than forgiving them in the spirit of the forgiving God who was incarnate for us at this time we have fallen into a Christmas trap.

The many snares that Satan lays for us now are even greater than those that he normally lays for us throughout the year and it is necessary that we be aware of those snares. He encourages us to make Christmas merely a secular rather than a spiritual feast in order to lure us away from Christ. Oh well, we’re still observing Christmas but what is Christmas without a conscious awareness of the reason and the meaning of the feast? He causes us to become so busy that we have no time to consider enhancing our spirituality . . . busy . . . busy . . . busy! I think Satan helps us to work so hard at our jobs, at coming to get the house ready for the celebration of the feast, at buying gifts and at doing all of the little important yet mundane things that our society requires of us that we have no desire to put out the extra effort needed to grow in the Word of God.

I say all these things to you not to condemn you but rather to caution you as disciples of Christ. Even we who are the faithful fall short of the glory of God. While the Lord may not condemn secular observances, He may not condemn the idea that we still retain a fantasy of Santa Claus and that we buy gifts for our children and exchange gifts with one another and that we spend a lot of time shopping and preparing for a jovial feast day celebration, He may not object to any of these things. What He objects to, as I understand the scriptures, is when we allow these things to minimize or totally diminish our dedication to Him and to the principles that He has set forth for us in His life. Why was Jesus born in the first place? Was it not in order that the world might be saved through Him? Was it not in order that some thirty years later He might preach to us the Gospel of Peace, the Gospel of Repentance, the Gospel of Forgiveness, the Gospel of Salvation, the Gospel of Reconciliation with God? Surely Christ was not born merely to give us an excuse to have another holiday celebration. Surely He was not born in the humble way in which He came into this world in order that you and I might feast royally and forget why He was born in the first place! I urge you beloved to be keenly aware that we are ultimately destroying any possibility that we might have of union with Christ so long as we allow ourselves to forget about Christ at these most important times of the year and allow ourselves to be seduced into falling into the many Christmas traps that Satan lays for us.

Beware, for we know not the hour or the day in which the Lord shall come and require of us a full accounting of our stewardship. When we talk about stewardship we’re not only talking about our worldly possessions and our money, we are talking about the stewardship of our lives. How have we taken care of our lives and what priorities have we established and maintained by which our lives may be ordered. If our first priority is Christ and our commitment to Him then all these things will be added unto you but if our priorities are disorganized and we put shopping and gift giving and feasting before our commitment to Him then Christmas has no meaning whatsoever. It’s just another pagan feast day among the many pagan feasts that we observe, not the least of which, I might add as a post script to this writing, is the feast of New Year’s Eve which we are about to observe.

I remind you of that which I have said to you many times in the past. New Year’s Eve and its celebration is no excuse for us to forget that we are disciples of Christ. Now there is nothing wrong with enjoying a celebration at New Year’s Eve. There is nothing wrong with going to a party. There is nothing wrong with even having a glass of wine or two if you can handle it but when we forget that we are disciples of Christ and use New Year’s Eve as an excuse to practice paganism in its modern sense, to get smashing drunk, to forget to even offer a word of thanks to God at the end of one year and at the beginning of the next, praying that the New Year will be filled with His blessings then we have returned to the pagan practices of our pre-Christian ancestors.

I hope and pray that you are all going to have a wonderful time. I am planning to have one with my family but my family and I will not forget that we are His disciples and that we belong to Him, and we shall comport ourselves accordingly even though the rest of the world goes crazy. I hope you will do the same.

THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST DISCUSSION and RECOMMENDED READING

THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST

(Christmas Fast: Nov. 15-Dec. 24)

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THANKSGIVING: 1

Chr. 16:34; Ezra 3:11; Psalms: 26:7, 75:1, 92,107:22,136, Matthew 26:27; Luke 17:16; John 6:11; 1 Cor 11:24; Eph. 5:20; Phil. 4:6.

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

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EPIPHANY! Bishop Theophan would have you pray more this

ARE YOU SMILING?:

"A real Christian is a person who can give his pet parrot to a town gossip." Billy Graham.

THE SAINT WHO WAS SANTA CLAUS

Dominating our Christmas, rather “holiday” season, (we do not want to be offensive to our non-Christian and non-believing friends) , is the Santa Claus legend. The Santa figure and the gift giving displays find their source not in Jesus Christ as much as in the story by Clement Moore, “The Night Before Christmas.” which is itself a distorted derivative of the actual life of the great Orthodox bishop Nicholas who lived in the small coastal town of Myra in what is today Turkey.

In the Moore poem, a modern family is invaded by a well-meaning old man who leaves gifts nobody seems to have asked for or even want. This is the first distortion of the real situation. May we all live our lives and lack nothing! Yet if we can penetrate the stories told of the actual fourth century bishop, under the layers of legend that cover St. Nicholas throughout the centuries, we find one feature common to each tale, no matter how distorted: Bishop Nicholas always aids those in dire need. Despite the myths surrounding the event, the extreme circumstances of those in the tales of St. Nicholas are much more like the life we know than the family in the Moore story.

We cannot imagine a “right jolly old elf” who has no contact with our lives, who we neither call upon nor need, yet who brings us gifts we could well do without. What purpose does it serve to perpetuate this story in the fantasies of our children?

We can, however, conceive of one who lived among his people, praying with them weekly and for them daily, knowing their lives as well as they. Could he have prayed for them without wanting to come to their aid? Would he not have done whatever was possible, going to any conceivable length to protect or to help those whom he loved? Not only did he “know if they’d been bad or good,” because they would have confided in him as bishop, confessor and guide. It was no mystery that he would have known what they lacked, and he did whatever he could to obtain it.

After the age of the Lord’s first apostles, who went about the known world preaching of the messiah they had lived with for three years, Jesus of Nazareth; and after the death of even those who could say they had spoken with one of the original apostles, a deep spiritual need was felt throughout the Christian church.

It was not enough to speak of Christ; only for awhile could all the baptised Christians be satisfied with the promise of His second coming. Those who called themselves followers of Christ had to show by their living example what it meant to walk in the footsteps of the Savior. How are we to be like Christ in the world? Just what is expected of us here, now, in our world?

This is what Bishop Nicholas is to us; the one who showed how to believe in Christ and yet be in the world of our times. He taught by example the way one follows Christ. This is what is meant by calling those like him “saints.”

THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

by Joy Corey

I glanced at my watch and suddenly realized they would be here any moment. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I did know whatever the outcome, it would be worth it.

The hands of my kitchen clock now struck 1:00 p.m., the hour I told everyone to be at my house, but there was no evidence of anyone as yet. As I leaned into my refrigerator, I counted . . . 8, 9, 10 — there should be enough I thought. Finally, upon my closing the fridge door, I could hear the sounds of little angels emanating from outside, exclaiming, “Hi Joy” as they peered at me through my floor-to-ceiling kitchen window, and I knew the hour I’d been waiting for had finally arrived.

As I opened the front door to my house, in their exuberant, free-spirited manner they, all, with arms outstretched, reached to bring me down to their level in order that they might plant a kiss on my waiting cheek. I loved every minute of it.

So far, Libby, Andrea, Lisa, Paula and Christina had arrived soon to be followed by Melanie who arrived minutes before Gina and Lisa (their sister Lila was at a birthday party, but she did manage to join us later). I was so excited and it was obvious I had never given much thought to what I was in for or I’d probably have thought twice about doing it. To tell you the truth, I’d do it over and over again — nothing could match the rewards of the day.

They were playfully jumping about and greeting each other when I interrupted their exchange of little amenities, the measure of which was determinable by their own littleness, and asked them all to wash their hands and come back to the kitchen table.

With freshly washed hands they did as I had asked and I placed before each one a piece of waxpaper onto which I set individual balls of dough displaying the assorted shaped cookie cutters, rolling pins and flour in the center of the table. Of course, the intention was to keep the flour on the table and the pins on the dough, but as nothing is guaranteed with children, in their inimitable fashion, the flour found its way to the floor and the rolling pins managed to contact a few heads under the guidance of a couple of small hands allowing the flour thereon to turn their otherwise dark hair to grey (a little premature).

No way were we, the Pre-school, Kindergarten and First Grade class of St. Michael Church’s Sunday School going to embark on such a program without a little help. So with hands clasped, and heads bowed, my little angels turned to the Father in prayer, “Dear God, please watch over us as we make cookies for those less fortunate than us — please make our cookies good so they will like them. Thank you Father for making this day possible. Amen.”

And so we set about the business of making sugar cookies, butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. You never in your life saw such a variety of shapes and sizes, but the recipients of our Christmas goodies would only come to know that these cookies were made and delivered by angels whose special ingredient of T.L.C. (tender loving care) would make these cookies something far beyond the norm.

Naturally, with ten girls and three sets of cookie cutters (Christmas bells and trees, santa clauses, stars, etc.) all ten wanted the Christmas tree at the same time or the Christmas bell — they weren’t particular — they’d just naturally ask for whatever the other asked for. I’m now convinced the Diplomatic Corps would be best advised to hire me for I mastered the art of diplomacy that day.

As the first batch of cookies came out of the oven, their beautiful, awesome eyes lit up like Christmas trees upon viewing the “first fruits of their labor.” Tears found their way gently down my cheeks as I observed the pleasure in their faces. The silver balls, the green and red glitter — all the decorating equipment came out and my little angels produced the most beautiful goodies imaginable.

As the hands on the clock made their way towards the 4:30 p.m. mark, the girls realized they would not have time to package them all with red and green ribbons as we intended since their parents or rides would be arriving momentarily.

On their own initiative, realizing their prayers had been answered, they stopped and again bowed in a prayer of thanks to God for it was apparent He had been with them.

“Goodbye Aunt Joy.” “Remember”, I told them, “tomorrow is a big day for us — tomorrow we deliver our Christmas packages to the sick and suffering. God bless you — goodbye — I love you and remember who loves you.” “We know, Jesus loves us.’’

As I stood in my driveway, again my eyes welled up with tears for the beauty of this day I knew could not be matched, but what I didn’t know then, was that its full beauty was yet to culminate.

The sun shone radiantly that December 16th, significant for the Glory of God which radiated in brilliance that day. As I approached the freeway entrance, I could see Carrie Skaff and her carload of Sunday School kids pass me by — we waved and the kids continued singing the Christmas carols we were practicing on our way. Miles later I passed Andy and Jackie Nassir with their carload and, Oh my, there’s John Gantus and his Sunday School kids — honk, honk!! and look who’s behind me, Ted and Isabel Turk and their precious cargo. Oh wow, this was fun!! I was so excited, but my excitement was not self-limited; my gang shared similar feelings.

After much winding and turning, the sign I’d been anxiously awaiting came plainly within my path of vision and I carefully read, “Sun Air Home for Asthmatic Children.” We’d finally arrived at our first stop; we disembarked and gathered in the parking lot. Everyone began to unload the Christmas stockings filled with goodies that John Gantus had gotten and the packages of comics which my sons had wrapped in red and green ribbons the night before and, of course, our prize possession — the homemade cookies which all the Sunday School children had made. Meanwhile, I went to see the head nurse to tell her we were here. She was happy to see us and assured us we were expected.

Finally, upon assembling ourselves on the stage in their mess hall, I could see how strange it all seemed to the children. The asthmatic children were quite wild, a direct result of the heavy medication of which they all were victim. Restlessness was prevalent and rampant. Their overall appearance was tantamount to arrogance.

John began the program along with Carrie, our Superintendent, and our voices burst into song. Sunday School teacher Isabel Turk intermingled with the kids in an effort to get them to participate. The skeptical looks melted into looks of pleasure as we won them over. Upon completion of our Christmas exalting, our Sunday School children passed out Christmas stockings, the comics and cookies and wished one and all a “Merry Christmas.” Now it was time to gather ourselves together to sojourn to our next and final destination. It was clearly visible on the faces of our St. Michael’s youth that they were proud of what they were doing.

Most of the kids that we sang to were now loaded on a bus readying to go off somewhere and a handful had climbed the stairs to enter the main building when they suddenly turned around and yelled back to us as we stood in the parking lot, “Merry Christmas and Thank You.” The other asthmatics waved from the departing bus as their counsellor who had been talking with a few of us Sunday School teachers exclaimed in awe, “That’s unbelievable! Do you know these kids are so drugged up all the time and so hyper, it’s been at least four years since I’ve heard them say “Thank You”. I can’t believe they took the time to stop and wave to you all, let alone to thank you and wish you a Merry Christmas.” Those words were synonymous with the comprehensiveness of our overt embassy of love.

My Sunday School class continued to talk about the experience in the car on the way to the Tarzana Convalescent Hospital, the experience to be deeply engraved in the pallets of their lives. They had just left the near beginnings of life and were now journeying to a vision of the near end.

Before too long, we were unloading the cars once more and gathering ourselves at the entrance to the hospital. As the door opened, a whole new world unfolded to most of the children — a world of old, sick, dying people. Most had never been exposed to this element before and for some it held a fright; for others a curiosity, and yet for others the realization of the facts of life.

Again, our conductor John commanded our voices to leap out in exaltation and our feet abandoned their stationary stance and we began to walk slowly down the corridors with Carrie pushing a cart, the resting place for our bags of cookies, and the children as they sang, delivered their prize cookie packages of red and green with a greeting of “Merry Christmas.” In passing one of the rooms, my eyes got a glimpse of one of our young boys leaning over an old, sick, bedridden gentleman and as the little elf placed his package of cookies on this sickly elder’s nightstand, I heard him say, in a whispering fashion into the peaked ear of the pathetic figure, “Merry Christmas and God Bless You. I left you some cookies on your nightstand.” This vision lingered with me for a long, long time . . . I was witnessing the TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS.

As we strolled along the hallways, my heart filled with great joy, my eyes filled with tears, I heard a familiar sound from behind, “Mom, Mom! !“ I turned, “Mom, there was an old lady in that room over there and her hands were so shakey she couldn’t button her gown so I helped her, Mom. She thanked me. I then gave her some cookies, she smiled and seemed so happy.” “Son, I’m sure she was — your thoughtfulness brought her that happiness.” The lesson of the experience far outweighed any Christmas celebration he could have been party to.

As we turned corridor after corridor, the anticipation of what the next turn held remained a mystery until its realization. Our voices were strong — our sense of pride was evident.

My spirit-filled brother in Christ, John, put his arm around me as we stopped by this “little old lady’s” room and we harmoniously sang out, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” . . . To John’s invitation that she join us, she motioned to her throat whereupon we simultaneously discovered she did not have a voice with which to sing — our hearts bled and I knew John shared the same anguish as he indicated to her, “It’s alright, we’ll sing for you” and so we did — John, myself and The Spirit.

Upon turning what was to be the second to last corridor, my eyes lifted in the direction of the loud­speaker as the words of the speaking man’s voice caught my attention, “We would like to thank the Sunday School of St. Michael Orthodox Church of Van Nuys for coming out here today to be with us in spreading some Christmas Cheer.” It was apparent from the smiles on their faces and the glow in their eyes that observing the children was as important to these hospitalized souls as it was to the children themselves being there. We found many having the nurses shift them around in their wheel chairs and beds to position them within their eyes range of viewing the children. That voice over the loudspeaker made an overwhelming impact on me — I could not help but think we brought honor to our Patron Saint that day.

What best sums up the day for me was when one of the young boys (about 9 years) turned to me upon exiting the hospital and said, “I feel like a saint for what I’ve done today.” Christmas has a spirit all its own and so it was that it walked with us that December 16.

READINGS FOR CHRISTMAS

By Archpriest Paul Ziatyk

Each year there is an excitement in the air in the weeks preceding Christmas. There is the hectic preparation for the feast — the gift buying, planning, food preparation, card writing, decorating. etc. to name a few of our activities, as wel1 as making time for our children’s Christmas pageant, watching our favorite Christmas programs on TV, and of course the office Christmas Party.

This heavy involvement in preparing for the feast often leaves us tired, irritable and short-tempered, and searching for the meaning behind what we frantically do. There is little joy and peace experienced and we feel that something is wrong with us. It is even common to hear people saying the day after Christmas, “I’m glad it’s over.”

What can we do to change all this which gives so little long term meaning to our lives? It is in understanding Christmas — what are we celebrating —that meaning can be found in what Advent is all about.

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS ALL ABOUT?

Christmas is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is the celebration of God’s Son taking on flesh and becoming a man, i.e., the Incarnation. It is one of the central events in the history of our salvation. The Incarnation is foretold in the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah 9:2-7: “The people who walked in the darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy; they rejoice before thee as with joy at the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, thou hast broken as on the day of Mid’ian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore.

We also read about the Word becoming flesh in the Gospel of John 1:14, 16-18: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth: we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through .Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God: the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.”

In the Creed which we recite or sing at every Divine Liturgy we confess our faith in, Jesus Christ, the Son of God — “who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man.”

In the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38 we learn about the announcement to Mary by the Angel Gabriel of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. This feast is related to the Nativity of Christ.

EMMANUEL — GOD WITH US

God so loved the wor1d that He gave us his Only Begotten Son (John 3:16). And so it was that “in the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4) God sent forth His Son to take on flesh from a virgin woman named Mary. This we read about in the Gospels of Matthew 1 and 2, and Luke 2. Following are the events as recorded in these chapters. Take time to read them in the weeks or days preceding the feast and use them as brief meditations.

Mary and Joseph Betrothed: In the Galilean town of Nazareth, Joseph and Mary were betrothed to one another. She was a young virgin woman: he an elderly carpenter who took Mary to be his wife, and before they came together she was found with child. (Matthew 1:18)

The Annunciation: The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary in the Temple and told her that she would conceive a child and His name shall be called Jesus. (Luke 1:26-35) This event is celebrated each year on March 25.

The Angel and Joseph: The angel also appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him that the son to be born was the long awaited Messiah. (Matthew 1:20-25)

The Census: The Roman Governor of Palestine ordered a census to be taken of all the people. Therefore, Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem, since they were of the tribe of David, in order to be registered. (Luke 2:1-5)

Birth in Bethlehem: Because of the crowds who came to Bethlehem, there was no room in the inn and the Virgin Mother gave birth to Jesus Christ in a cavern. (Luke 2:6-7) This Nativity of Christ is celebrated on December 25.

The Shepherds: An angel appeared to the shepherds who were caring for their flock in the field and announced the birth of the Savior. They hastened to the cave to find Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. (Luke 2:8-20)

The Circumcision: According to the Jewish law every male child was circumcised on the 8th day and so it was with the young Christ child who was given the name Jesus. (Luke 2:21) Our Orthodox Church commemorates this event on January 1.

The Ritual of Purification: Again according to Jewish law every male child was presented to the Lord on time 40th day. Jesus’ parents brought him to the temple of Jerusalem on the 40th day where He was received by the righteous Simeon. Simeon blessed God and prayed what is known as “Simeon’s Prayer.” This prayer is sung or recited at every Vesper Service. (Luke 2:22-38) This feast is celebrated on February 2.

The Magi: Magi or Wisemen came from the East, being guided by a star to Bethlehem. And when they found the child they presented gifts and worshiped him as “King of the Jews.” (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-12)

Slaughter of the Innocents: Heron, the ruler of Palestine, hated the young child and feared him for He was a threat to his throne. Herod ordered all male infants two years and younger in Bethlehem to be killed in the hope that Jesus would be among them. (Matthew 2:3-8, 16-18)

Flight: In a dream Joseph learned of Herod’s scheme, therefore he took Mary and the child Jesus and fled into Egypt. (Matthew 2:13-15)

Return to Nazareth: After the wicked Herod died, Joseph took the child and His Mother to Nazareth where Jesus was raised. (Matthew 2:19-23)

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

Who is this Jesus whom we speak about? Is He God, is He just a man, is He two persons? What is the Church’s teaching about “who Jesus Christ is?” He is the Son of God who has a divine nature as the eternal Son of God and who took on a human nature from the Virgin Mary. He is One Person with two natures. How are we saved by Jesus Christ? Give this considerable thought. Discuss it with your family, friends. If you are not sure, speak to your priest.

At the Christmas Vigil, we sing: “God is with us.” In what manner is this understood? Just as Christ was born in Bethlehem of old, so Christ is born in our hearts, minds and souls, if we make room for Him. Advent is that season of 40 days before Christmas which is set aside by the Church in order to help and guide us in preparing ourselves for the birth of Christ within us. This time before Christmas is a time for repentance, fasting, prayer, the confession of our sins and the reception of Christ in the partaking of His flesh and blood. It is a time to come out of the everyday rush of life and to realize that man cannot live by bread alone. Only as we do this will God’s promise become flesh in our lives. When we direct the attention of our hearts to God, the dimness of our eyes will fade away. We discover purpose in our existence and in everything we do. How different is such preparation for Christmas than what the world offers. One leads to God, life, peace and joy — the other to that darkness of soul and restlessness of heart which continues to gnaw at the heart until they find their rest in God.

The Miracle of Bethlehem, by Metropolitan PHILIP, 1968

It is easy to lose sight of the miracle of Bethlehem in our modern world of pressure politics and commercial Christmas. This annual reminder of the continuous presence of the Divine in our wayward world is a necessary thing for us all; nothing is more usual, nothing is more miraculous than the birth of a child: every child’s birthday is a reminder of the presence of God in the world.

The atheist forces of the world try to tell us that God does not exist, that there is no connection between man and the eternal cosmos, the eternal mystery; they tell us that we are slaves of the world and of the material forces of existence. And yet, our experience tells us that GOD IS: too many aspects of our life clearly reflect the presence of the divine, the presence of God, among us. The birth of a child tells us this truth; the birth of the Divine Child sums up the common experience of all mankind.

The present troubles of our world seem overwhelming; the sorrow, the injustice, the poverty, the wickedness of war, the inhumanity of man to man, the distortion of the divine image which we cause, is everywhere; we have lost sight of God, and we suffer; the renewal that comes with the birth of our Lord can restore us, if we perceive it with the eyes of faith, and the simplicity of a child.

The blessing of our incarnate Lord be with you all, this Feast of his Nativity, and throughout the coming year!

— METROPOLITAN PHILIP

Icons of the Nativity in the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ

More Icons

Origin of the Feast of Christmas

By Antony Bassoline

The celebration of the birth of Christ has become the most obvious religious-based public festival of American life. Its arrival in December is prepared for months in advance. It is the one event which generates the most anticipation and to which the most tradition and custom have attached themselves. Individual homes and whole cities dress up for Christmas. In popular sentiment it has eclipsed the greater feast of the Resurrection, and has completely dwarfed its twin festival, the Epiphany.

But how did we get a feast of Christmas? What was its original purpose? How does it actually fit into the life of the Orthodox Christian Church?

The Christian Church in the first three centuries of its existence knew of only one great