Daily Christmas Reflections

Today, our Orthodox Church begins the Fast of the Nativity.  This 40 day period, is a season for increased prayer and fasting as we prepare for the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In an attempt to help our faithful of the Metropolis, prepare for this sacred event, in the midst of the holiday frenzy that besieges us, at this time of the year, the clergy of the Metropolis of Detroit, with the Blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, will offer “Daily Christmas Reflections” in preparation for the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.  It is our prayer that these thoughts may help us all to grow closer to our Lord during this holy season.

​
November 15 - Fr. Aristotle Damaskos
 

Allow me to share these verses from Colossians that are a great starting point to examine where we might be spiritually and what we hope to achieve through taking on a new mind and behavior, eradicating from our lives those things that block our spiritual growth.

May this passage also allow us to reflect on our own baptism, and who we are as a new creation in Christ, and making those qualities a daily reminder of what we want to strive.

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ Who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members, which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him Who created him… put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3: 2-10;13-17
 

November 16 - Fr. Mark Emroll
 

With the onset of the Fast for the Holy Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, we begin our journey toward the Bethlehem hillside. This period of fasting has been prescribed by the Church as a preparation to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. Within this framework, we also undertake this journey to participate in the spiritual labor of the Holy Theotokos just prior to the Nativity.

According to Holy Tradition, shortly before Joseph and the Theotokos departed on their journey to Bethlehem they were visited by a certain scribe.  The scribe, Ananias, beheld the pregnant Virgin Mary and became distressed.  He went to the High Priest with this news.  The High Priest then sent servants to bring Joseph and the Theotokos to him.  He proceeded to shame and to denounce the Holy Virgin first, then Joseph, for their sin.  The Theotokos and Joseph denied any wrongdoing.  The High Priest brought them to trial, as was the custom for this type of offense.   The Holy Mother and Joseph, however, were vindicated and returned to their homes, rejoicing in God’s mercy and protection.  Shortly thereafter, Joseph and Mary made the long, arduous journey to Bethlehem.    When the fullness of time had come, she gave birth to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.  Though the days leading up to the Nativity were filled with trial and sorrow, the Virgin Mary endured these things with prayer and contemplation.

Let us make our journey to the shepherd’s cave in Bethlehem in a befitting manner. Let us devote ourselves to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Let prepare to receive our Lord and Savior with the same joy that our Holy Mother, the Theotokos, experienced.

“And we, fasting for forty days, will reflect upon and receive from the Virgin, the living Word - not written upon stone - but born, incarnate, and we will commune of His Divine Body" (St. Symeon of Thessaloniki).
 

November 17 - Fr. Perikles Kallis
 

Today’s Gospel Reading comes from Luke 12:16-21. “The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." As he said these things, he cried out: ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’”

The lesson from this Gospel passage is quite applicable to us during the season of Advent. By challenging us to recognize the abundance that many of us have in our lives, the Lord points to the fact that we have a responsibility to offer as much as we are able to those in need. This lesson is quite powerful in the society in which we live. By worldly comparison, we have been blessed abundantly here in the United States. Although we may not all be rich monetarily, this lesson is applicable both to those with full bank accounts, as well as to those with full cupboards, closets, garages, attics, and basements. In other words, abundance comes in many forms. Whether we believe we are rich monetarily or not, we all probably have the ability to offer something to those in need. And even if we have little to offer, the Lord still teaches us that it is important to give.

Saint Basil affirms this lesson by saying that the bread in our cupboard belongs to the hungry person; the coat hanging unused in our closet belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in our closet belong to the one who has no shoes; and the money we hoard belongs to the poor. Again, the reality is that we are all called to offer something, whether it’s the coat hanging in our closet that we never wear, or the money that we would normally spend on lattes. Think of the story of the poor widow, “And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in there two mites. And He said, of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow has cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her poverty has cast in all the living that she had.” The poor widow is a great example of giving from a lack of abundance. By comparison, imagine how much more we could offer to those in need.

We all have something that we are storing up unnecessarily; either material things or spiritual talents. The Lord challenges us to remember that we can’t take anything with us when we depart this life. Thus, let us open our bank accounts, cupboards, closets, garages, attics, and basements and give to those in need. Let us all take heed to the warning that we cannot bring worldly treasure into the age to come and utilize the opportunity of the Advent season to become ever more vigilant in our calling to serve those in need.
 


 
 

November 18 - Fr. Irenaeus Cox
 

On November 18 the Orthodox Church commemorates the Martyr Saint Plato. Although he is not one of the more famous saints in the Church, and for sure fewer Christian men bear the name Plato than the names John, George, or Constantine, still the account of his life and martyrdom remind us of some very fundamental elements of our faith which we should not forget as we approach the Nativity Feast. These characteristics of Saint Plato, and indeed of all the saints, seem to be so opposite of what we experience in the secular world that for those outside the Church it seems as if his words and actions are nothing more than folly, such as the incarnation and birth of our Creator and God. The great Philosopher Plato, after whom this man of God was named, used human logic as a basis for his understanding of reality. But as for St. Plato, the basis for his reality was the spiritual truth revealed in Christ.

To begin with, he was not concerned with hurting the sensitivities of those who do not believe in the Lord, but openly preached the incarnate Jesus in a society that was still worshipping the official gods of Rome. His open proclamation of the Christian faith soon brought him into conflict with the authorities who had him arrested and brought to trial. The Governor had him subjected to extreme tortures, and warned the saint to renounce Christ or certainly he would be executed. To this threat Plato replied that there are two lives, one that is temporary and the other spiritual. Also he spoke of two deaths, one that is in the flesh and the other that leads the soul into eternal darkness. Plato, the Philosopher, might have chosen the temporary way of life, but Saint Plato certainly preferred the spiritual rewards. As Christ became flesh and was born among us, we are shown that matters of the flesh and matters of the spirit are connected, so that what we do in the flesh will have consequences in our spiritual life.

Not only was the choice for martyrdom desired, but the saint’s approach to pain is also something foreign to modern society. For us, pain seems to be the ultimate evil, and is combated at all levels. There are painkillers for headaches, muscle aches, infections, psychological suffering, and anything one might care to imagine. Even when people are near death, more often than not they are given a morphine drip to make their final hours or days painless. But we often forget that ‘the suffering of the flesh avails to the purification of the soul,’ as some of the priests’ prayers for the sick still affirm. So we should not be puzzled over why Saint Plato, when he was being tortured, encouraged his tormentors to increase their savagery so that his endurance may become an even more pleasing sacrifice to the Master. This does not mean that God desires that we suffer, but the saints themselves desired to suffer as a sign and offering for the sake of Christ and the Gospel during persecution. Christ, in His humanity, also embraced our suffering so that we might have victory over it through Him. Christmas gifts should also reflect His gift of salvation to us.

For us, who live in a nation where no faith is persecuted, this way of thinking may seem far away. However, persecution and suffering may come through other means, through the loss of friends or even relatives, because we desire to please Jesus more than ourselves. We may even lose our positions in society if we refuse to bow down to the idols of our age, to secular concerns, sports, wealth, luxury, and pleasure. St. Plato would have told us that these temporal joys are not worth the loss of eternal happiness with our incarnate Master. Indeed, the Saints show us by the examples of their lives that suffering may benefit the Christian as it may help us to grow in our faith in God. Through his holy intercessions may Christ our God have mercy upon us and save us. Amen.
 


 
 

November 19 - Fr. Andrew Walsh
 

When you think of Thanksgiving, what images come to mind? Roasted turkey? Pumpkin pie? Watching football with your family? Perhaps the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? I grew up watching this parade on television, marveling at the giant helium balloon representations of Snoopy and Bullwinkle, and waiting for Santa to appear to kick off the Christmas shopping season. Then, in 1992, I had the privilege of spending Thanksgiving Day in New York City. There, standing next to Central Park, I watched the bands and giant balloons from only a few feet away. As impressive as it was, I also discovered that for many people Thanksgiving is the only time when we give thanks.

There is a danger, I believe, in identifying one day a year as Thanksgiving Day. It’s the danger of implying that thanks is due on this day, but not on others. We face a similar danger, for example, when we designate the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Shouldn’t everyone honor their mothers more than once a year? Similarly, shouldn’t we be thankful more often than once a year on the fourth Thursday of November?  I would argue that giving thanks to God is important because it honors God. I would also argue that Scripture calls for consistent gratitude among God’s people.

The Psalms, for example, are replete of images of gratitude that transcend human life even amidst adversity. Jonah, despite being swallowed up in the belly of a whale, continued to give thanks to God. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Jonah 2:9. Gratitude magnifies our experience of the good and not so good things in life, enabling us to grow closer to God. Gratitude also helps us to endure hardships with dignity, perhaps even with humor. 

Thanksgiving is more than a parade, a gridiron battle, and pumpkin pie. We should be "thankful" every day of the year and in every season of our lives. As we approach Thanksgiving Day, perhaps you and I ought to step back and consider our attitudes. Do we have an ungrateful heart? Or are we allowing thankfulness to enrich our lives and with those around us? Let's start by giving thanks today! 
 


 
 

November 20 - Fr. George Wilson
 

The Forefeast of the Presentation of the Theotokos into the Temple. Doxastikon of the Vespers of the Presentation - Fourth Tone

Today, the Theotokos, the Temple that is to hold God, is led into the Temple of the Lord, and Zechariah receives her. Today, the Holy of Holies rejoices greatly, and the choir of angels mystically keeps feast. With them, let us also celebrate this festival today, and let us cry aloud with Gabriel: “Hail, O full of grace! The Lord is with you, and He has given you great mercy!”

In our Holy Orthodox tradition and practice we prepare with great anticipation the feasts of our Lord, His Holy Mother and His Blessed Saints.  As we look at this hymn from the vespers of the feast of the Presentation we can’t help but reflect a sense of awe for the role of our Holy Mother the Theotokos - “the Temple that is to hold God.”

The Theotokos always remained a human even after receiving the Son of God in her own body.  Reflecting on this, it is hard to comprehend that a Mary, the Theotokos, a mere human being could hold and carry the very Body of God in her own.  With childbirth, there is a nine month season of preparation.  Pregnancy is a time when the woman undergoes drastic changes, physically and spiritually.  The Theotokos did just that, but at a more elevated level: she was carrying God Himself.  During this season of preparation for the Nativity of our Lord, it is only proper that we recognize and commemorate His Holy Mother.  As she received the message of the Archangel and accepted her role in the Incarnation of Christ, she provides us with the example to be bold in our prayer and meditative life, seek our God’s Will for our lives and live that Will for the Glory of God.  She allowed God into her life in a real way as we are now also encouraged to allow God into our busy human lives.

This season of the Advent or Nativity Fast gives us another opportunity to refocus on our spiritual growth.  Take this opportunity to enter into a season of prayer, almsgiving, fasting and spiritual exercises in preparation for the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as we struggle in our spiritual journey together.  We honor His Holy Mother for the great mercy He has bestowed on her and we pray that He may have mercy on us all!
 


 
 

November 21 - Fr. Gregory Hohnholt
 

“Having opened the gates of the temple of God, the Glorious Gate through which human thoughts cannot pass now urges us to enter with her and to delight in her divine marvels.” (Canticle One, First Canon, page 175, The Festal Menaion, translated from the original Greek by Mother Mary and Archimandrite Kallistos Ware. St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press, South Canaan, PA. 1998)

During the Nativity Fast there are many beautiful Feast Days of the Church. The saints that are commemorated are intricately tied, it seems, to the theme of the Nativity of our Lord. One of the greatest Feasts celebrated during the Nativity Fast, besides the coming Nativity of the Lord Himself, is the Entrance of the Most Holy Lady Theotokos into the Temple. It is celebrated today, November 21st. During the Vespers service of the Feast, we are called to read Ezekiel 43:27 – 44:4. The reading is as follows:

‘It will be when these days are over, on the eighth day, the priests shall offer your whole burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar, and I shall accept you,’ says the Lord. Then He brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary that faces towards the east, but it was shut. So the Lord said to me, “This gate shall be shut. It shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it, because the Lord God of Israel will enter by it; therefore, it shall be shut. As for the prince, he will sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. He will go in by way of the gate chamber and go out the same way. Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked and behold, the house of the Lord was full of glory; and I fell on my face. (Orthodox Study Bible, pg. 1229-1230)

This reading is in just about every Feast Day of the Virgin Mary. This is because she is the East Gate. The prince in the reading is Christ, Who eats bread on her porch (meaning He will be nursed by her), and though the East Gate remains forever shut (she is ever-Virgin) He enters through this way (He is born of her, though she remains a Virgin). 

At the end of the reading, the prophet Ezekiel sees that the house of the Lord, or the Temple, was full of glory. This glory in Hebrew is Shekinah, it is the Doxa in Greek. This glory manifests itself in the Bible usually as light, especially the Light of Christ that shone on Mt. Tabor when He is transfigured. (Matthew 17: 2, Mark 9:3, Luke 9:29). This glory fills the Temple, and the Prophet falls on his face in prostration, a sign of reverence, awe, respect and Godly fear.

The hymn above encourages us to do the same. It states that, “the Glorious Gate (the Theotokos) through which human thoughts cannot pass now, urges us to enter with her and to delight in her divine marvels.” We cannot comprehend fully the mysteries of God, especially the Divine Incarnation, but we can begin to enter into them, as she enters the Holy of Holies, and we can delight in them.  When we spiritually prepare for these feast days through fasting, prayer and almsgiving, we enter into the Holy of Holies of our spiritual hearts, where we encounter the glory of the Lord. These Feast Days are our true “Christmas parties” that we celebrate on our Journey to the wonderful day of Christmas itself.
 


 
 

November 22 - Fr. Paul Martin
 

George Bailey, the Jimmy Stewart character in the classic Christmas film, It's A Wonderful Life, followed in the footsteps of his father, a generous man who used to say, "The only thing you can take with you is what you give away."  There is a brief moment in the film when Mr. Bailey's photo is just visible in the background, with the above saying inscribed as a memorial--actually, as a tribute to all who strive to live "The Wonderful Life." 

I have always loved this movie, because its theme of giving blends so well with the Gospel.  When at the end George Bailey finds that his life of sacrifice has yielded so much fruit, I think of what our faith has to say about giving.  God makes it so that when we give of ourselves we are blessed with returns much greater than our investment.  It's in the nature of things.  When we devote our lives to giving, we receive even more than our hearts can hold.  Our hearts nearly burst with joy and love!  This is the amazing truth about life we discover with George Bailey when we give.

So it appears that George's father didn't go quite far enough.   We don't just take with us what we give away; we actually take much more with us. 

And this is the theme of today's Gospel reading   Our Savior tells a parable about a great nobleman who goes to a far country "to receive a kingdom," giving each of his ten servants one mina (an ancient Greek unit of currency having the value of about $65 today) and commanding them, "Trade with these till I return."  You see, the money is given with the expectation that it be multiplied.  In other words, each servant is to make the gift he has been given grow, and those who do so are given even greater gifts.  To the servant who makes ten minas, the nobleman grants "authority over ten cities."  To the one who returns five, the nobleman grants five cities.

Ten cities for 10 mina?  Five for 5?  'Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

But notice that the servant who gives back only what he was given in the first place ends up with nothing.  Even the mina he was given is taken away.

I think the message here is that God expects us to do something with what he gives us.   Of course, everything is gift from above, and God's gifts are real.  But this does not mean that we are to hold on to them, as things we possess.   Gifts from God are to be multiplied, or else they die with us.  And the best way to make them multiply, strangely enough, is to give them away. 

All of us are called to be cheerful, fruitful givers.  Only remember this:  our ability to multiply gifts is nothing compared to God's.  I recall early in my walk as an Orthodox Christian being told by my priest, "Give of yourself; keep shoveling, because God has a bigger shovel!" 

God does have a bigger shovel.  The biggest of all.  And He keeps giving, even when it hurts.  If you doubt this, just look at our Savior on the Cross.

So let's be more like God.  Let's keep giving until it hurts, because that's God's way.  We will take with us much more than we give away. 
 


 
 

November 23 - Fr. Stavros Ballas
 

After an especially good year of Christmas gifts for all the family, a seven-year old asked his father, “Dad, what was the best Christmas you ever had?” The kid expected to hear, “This one!” The old man’s eyes lit up and a smile came to his face as his mind retrieved a memory like a classic tune from an old jukebox. He told his son, “The best Christmas I ever had was when I was seven years old, like you.” He began to reminisce.

We lived in a second floor apartment of a three-tenement house, a cold-water flat, but we were always outside. There was nothing to do inside because there was nothing. There were no toys or anything to play with. We wouldn’t have a radio for many years yet. There was hardly any food: lumpy oatmeal for breakfast (horrible stuff), no lunch, and vegetables and gravy for dinner and some bread. In the afternoon, if I found some bread, I would get it wet and then put some sugar on it. The added weight of the water made my stomach feel more full. Years later, my mother, the penny pincher, saved enough to buy an icebox. We use to laugh because we finally had an icebox but still couldn’t afford even the ice to put into it, never mind the food. We had learned not to expect anything.

All of us kids had to work every day to survive. I sold newspapers and magazines, giving six days’ earnings to my folks who needed it and keeping what I made on the seventh. When we weren’t working or in school, then we were out playing. We got plenty dirty, especially when our socks and our annual pair of shoes wore out. We looked forward to our weekly bath in water heated up in a big pot on the wood stove that cooked our Saturday night supper. The water never really got hot. That pot of water had to last for all four of us boys. We went according to age, eldest to youngest. I was the youngest.

Today people go routinely to doctors and to dentists. What are you talking about? Dentists? There were no toothbrushes and toothpaste! I am the only one of my brothers with real teeth because I spent thirty-two dollars of my life savings of fifty bucks when I was about seventeen to have a dentist fill every one of them, two at a time.

Holidays like Christmas and Easter were going to church at midnight and getting up the next day to celebrate with other families, looking forward to some meat with the meal and other baked goodies. There were no decorations, no Christmas trees and lights. On this one Christmas Eve, we came home from church in the wee hours of the morning and went to bed, two brothers in one bed and two in the other, in the same room. We had learned not to expect anything.

On that Christmas morning my eyes opened wide toward the ceiling to a most glorious and joyful sight. I was ecstatic! While we were sleeping, my poverty-stricken father had tied a string from one corner of the bedroom to the other. On that string he hung four tiny, little candy canes, one for each of us. That was the best Christmas I ever had because in expecting nothing I received everything!
 


 
 
 

November 25 - Fr. Anthony Cook
 

Today, November 25th, is the Leavetaking of the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple. It is perhaps more often noted as the feast of St. Catherine the Great-Martyr of Alexandria. The Gospel reading for the day is the account from Mark 5:24-34 of the woman with the flow of blood for twelve years, who came up to Jesus in the midst of the crowd and touched His garment, and was healed.

The reading is deeply appropriate for today, as it is one of the greatest examples of Faith in action from the entire Scripture – and of course Panagia and St. Catherine are both exemplars of this as well. But the reading is also appropriate for us at this time; leaving the Presentation behind, we now fix our eyes on the goal of Christ’s Nativity, and redouble our efforts in fasting (albeit with a pause for the national holiday of Thanksgiving). Fasting is always a difficult subject, particularly since it can so easily be approached in a “merely” legalistic fashion. It is this problem that is addressed in the reading, as it reminds us that fasting by itself is no more an occasion for grace and salvation than “merely” being in Christ’s presence on the day described in the Gospel reading was an occasion for healing. The Lord was touched (or more likely bumped) by hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people that day. But only one person came away healed, because only one came to Him with the intent to be healed.

In the same way, as we fast, let us not “merely” abstain from meat and dairy, wine and oil. Truly, such abstention will create an empty space in our bellies, and thus a consciousness of emptiness and need in our minds and hearts…but it will not fill that emptiness. We must actively and intentionally direct our hungry bodies and souls to the things of God – to Scripture, prayer, and an active love for our neighbor. And in these actions, we must understand ourselves to be approaching Christ, seeking to touch Him, in imitation of the woman from today’s Gospel…and not only to touch Him, but to receive grace and strength and life from Him. He will not send us away empty.
 


 
 

November 26 - Fr. Aristotle Damaskos
 

In a few days we will celebrate Thanksgiving, not an official Orthodox holiday, but it’s character is definitely a part of the fabric of our Orthodox faith. After all the word Eucharist comes from the Greek Word Eucharisto, which means thank you.  Thus, Holy Communion is the Great Thanksgiving banquet of Christ.  It is where, as stated in a prayer from the Divine Liturgy, “for the remission of sins, forgiveness of transgressions, communion of the Holy Spirit, inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, confidence before You, and not in judgment or condemnation.”  I think you would agree that our thanksgiving should be the most upper priority for us since the benefits of Holy Communion allows Christ to richly dwell within us transforming us into a new creation.  What a reason to offer thanks to God.

Someone said, about thanksgiving: “We thank HIM because He has been a doctor when we were sick. We thank HIM because He has been a Lawyer when we were in trouble, and HE has been mother for the motherless and father for the fatherless. We thank HIM because HE has been shelter from the rain, and medicine for our pain. We thank HIM because HE has been a rope of hope when we were sinking in the seas of sadness and sorrow. We thank Him because when we had fallen and couldn’t get up, HE came where we were and put His loving arms all around us and lifted us from the muck and mire of sin. We need to thank Him, He is worthy of our thanks, because the more we thank Him the more our faith increases.”
 


 
 

November 27 - Fr. Mark Emroll
 

"Come, ye faithful, let us behold where Christ is born. Let us join the Magi, kings of the east, and follow the guiding star. Angels sing praise without ceasing and shepherds abiding in fields offer a fitting hymn: Glory in the highest to Him Who in the cave this day is born of the Virgin and Theotokos, in Bethlehem of Judea" (Hymn from Nativity Matins).

The coming together of family and friends is one of the distinct hallmarks of the Christmas. Unlike most other holidays, we are invited to numerous gatherings, spending time with colleagues, acquaintances, neighbors, friends and relatives. For many, these social engagements embody the spirit of the season. The enjoyment of fellowship in the midst of sumptuous food and casual conversation are the highlights of the Christmas “experience”. Sadly, this experience quickly fades with the dawn of the New Year.

We, the faithful, receive another type of invitation at Christmas. It is an invitation to gather and experience the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As the above hymn states, we are called to “come and behold where Christ is born.” This is not merely a call to share in common fellowship.

We assemble to celebrate the Birth of Christ, Who is the source of Life for us all. God extends the invitation to participate in His Life - a life in the hope of eternal life, a life in the joy of living His commandments, a life in the peace of Jesus Christ which is never-ending. We come together to praise God who initiates our salvation. Along with the shepherds, we offer fitting hymns to our Chief Shepherd.

Let us respond to the most important invitation and attend church services to hear the true message of Christmas. Let us receive that message of love and mercy from Christ Himself, Who is Love and Mercy. Only He is the one that can instruct us how to really love and show mercy.

May He Who was born in a cave and lay in a manger be invited daily into our lives for our salvation!
 


 
 

November 28 - Fr. Perikles Kallis
 

Today’s Epistle Reading comes from St. Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians 2:9-14

“BRETHREN, remember our labor and toil; we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers; for you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory…”

Today's Epistle reading speaks a great deal to the responsibilities of Apostleship. In another way however, it also speaks to true parenthood. Saint Paul said, "...for you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you..." When speaking about his apostolic relationship with the Thessalonians,

Saint Paul mentions how it can be compared to that of a relationship between a father (one could say mother as well) and a child. This is a quite a telling comparison. He states that the foremost responsibilities of an apostle to a community or again, a parent to a child are to exhort, encourage, and charge.

These three tasks are quite clear. We can see this in our relationships with our own children. This day and age we exhort our children to be good people. We exhort them to work hard in school, to participate in extracurricular activities, to treat others with respect, etc. Along the way we also encourage them. As our children struggle to live up to that which we exhorted them to do, they may fall short from time to time.

Therefore, when they slip we are there to catch them. And when we do we always make it a point to tell them, "you'll do better next time," or "practice makes perfect.” Finally, those with older children will understand the idea of how we charge our children. We charge them to get a good education in order to have a stable and financially secure career, to build healthy relationships and to become a productive member of society.

Unfortunately, too often we forget the last step that St. Paul calls for us to complete, "...to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." The world gives us one reason to exhort, encourage and charge our children. And for most of us, this process comes naturally. We want our children to work hard and excel in sports, school or work. However, the worldly success that will be gained in this process is temporary. Today, Saint Paul teaches us the eternal and true reason to exhort, encourage, and charge our children; in order not only to be prosperous, but more importantly so that our children will "...lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." This is the calling of an Apostle to a community.  It is also the true calling of parents for their children. So as Saint Paul uses the analogy of a parent to a child to sum up his ministry, let us do the same to learn about how to properly parent. If the ministry of an apostle is to exhort, encourage, and charge the faithful to lead Christ centered lives, then the true function of a parent is to do likewise for their children. Again, not so that our children will grow in materialistic prosperity, but so that they will grow in the faith and in their relationship with Christ. In this way we may answer the call to live a life worthy of God who calls us all, especially children, into his own kingdom and glory!
 


 
 

November 29 - Fr. Irenaeus Cox
 

Commemoration of Sts. Paramonos and Philoumenos - Epistle Reading – Romans 8:14 – 21.  Are we all Children of God, or do Christians alone claim this honor? It seems that some people, even Orthodox Christians, are of the opinion that we are all the children of God. After all, wasn’t Christ born into the world to save everyone? Some would even extend this honor of ‘sonship’ to members of other religions and to the irreligious and those who worship the Devil. In Islam, for example, God has no children, as human beings are no more that His creatures. It would not be an insult to a Moslem to tell him that he is not a child of God. For the Jains of India, God is not important as they believe that one comes to ‘salvation’ through self realization and through one’s own struggles. As for those who reject God, they do not want to be called children of God but rather servants of His enemy. So who really is a child of God?

The Epistle reading for today’s saints seems to answer this question. The selection begins with the words, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” How is it that we are sons of God? We are sons of God through ‘adoption,’ and so in baptism we are not made into the children of an abusive father but through adoption we become recipients of the Spirit of God that, as we further read, “… by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” God has called us who believe in Him to share in His glory, so that when we praise Him we become participants in His uncreated energies, conveying to us His love, His mercy, His compassion as our Father. He does not need or desire our praise but rather invites us to become participants in His infinite grace.

But there are two parts to becoming the children of God. One is the glory, that we are heirs to His kingdom, and that we will be glorified by Him, or that His glory will be revealed in us. Everyone seems to like this aspect of being a child of God. Salvation, eternal joy, perfection, freedom from the corruption that so pervades creation on this side of Jesus’ second coming are certainly not things to be spurned. This should also be the hope of all God’s faithful ones.

The other part is not so desirable to people outside the Church. As children of God we must expect to suffer for Christ. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Remembering that Christ showed us the way to the kingdom of God through suffering, through humility, through serving those in need, through loving those who hate us, through enduring insults and abuse for the sake of our love for God, in truth all these we consider a blessing (Mt. 5:1 – 13).

But is it worth it? We suffer for what type of glory? Paul tells us that he considers ?“that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” The joy of salvation, the glory that we shall experience in God’s presence in His kingdom, shall make the suffering of this present and temporal life nothing more that an ever fading memory.
As for humanity now, there are two groups of people. On the one hand there are the children of God, and on the other hand there are the potential children of God. It is our present responsibility to be led by the Spirit of God, to subject ourselves to His will but also to His love, and so as children of God draw into the Church those potential brothers and sisters of the faith, for in the end we also shall be held responsible for turning others away from the true faith or doing nothing to bring them into the “fishing nets of Christ and the Apostles.”. For this reason may we all pray that all creation may “be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” through Jesus Christ the true Son of God Whose Nativity we are about to celebrate. Amen. 


 
 

November 30 - Fr. Andrew Walsh
 

In every nook and corner or our lives, we are encouraged to pursue the compatible. We are told to find friends who are compatible with our interests, a job that is compatible with our gifts, and a spouse who is compatible all around! There is surely something wise in this. God wants us to enjoy His creation, and common sense suggests that we enjoy life more with compatible people in compatible settings. At the risk of sounding like the Grinch, though, we are wise to think more deeply about why we're so enthralled with compatibility, for the Bible seems to suggest that compatibility is not always what it's cracked up to be.

On the one hand, it is truly a good and blessed thing when people "dwell in compatibility," when they share interests, opinions, likes, and dislikes. On the other hand, to spend most of one's life with those who are compatible is to spend most of one's life in front of a mirror. We like people with whom we are compatible because we like people who are like us. We may think we are loving the compatible other when we are simply feeling good about them loving us. Compatibility can become a gazing on our own reflection, as in the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus.

The careful reader will have noticed that I fractured a biblical verse above. The biblical notion is that it is a blessed thing when men and women "dwell in unity" (Ps. 133:1). This is different than dwelling in compatibility, though we often mistake the latter for the former. Unity is in some ways the foil of compatibility. The greater the incompatibility, the more blessed, the more miraculous the unity. Unity can probe the deep mystery of love in a way that mere compatibility cannot. This is one reason the Bible is replete with encouragements for us all to dwell in unity despite differences, and says little to nothing at all about compatibility.

Another reason we may be attracted to compatibility is that we don't have to practice charity. The more compatible we are with another, whether spouse or friend, the less we have to transcend our typical behavior. The more we are compatible with a job or Church, the less we are asked to go beyond ourselves. In our morally challenged state, we are reluctant to practice true charity, which inevitably entails self-denial and sacrifice. Charity requires being in relationship with people we may not particularly like, as well as staying in institutions we find uncomfortable. Many people rationalize or avoid distasteful relationships or marriages by saying things such as, "We just don't have that much in common" or "It's not a good fit for me."

As we reflect upon the Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, our thoughts must go beyond the temporal to that which is eternal in every aspect of our lives. This is the season in which we recall the One Who was deeply incompatible with our nature—holy versus sinful; infinite versus finite; loving versus self-absorbed—and yet Who made Himself One with our nature. At Christmas, we celebrate the One who joined us in His Birth: the Master becoming a servant, the eternal and glorious God dying a shameful death. It was, however, an expression of his "natural interests"—namely us. When we talk about how we share an interest with another, it usually amounts to a mutual like of some activity or topic of conversation. It rarely involves a mutual interest in other people, especially people who are incompatible with us. And yet this is Jesus' main interest, or better, His obsession.
 


 
 

December 2 - Fr. Gregory Hohnholt
 

The Epistle reading for today is from St. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians 2:20-3:8. St. Paul writes, on behalf of himself, Silvanus and Timothy, to the Christians in Thessalonica. He was desiring to come and see them again, after having established the Church there, and as we can see from the 2nd Epistle to the Church in Thessalonica, having spent some time teaching and catechizing the faithful (2 Thess. 2:5). The context of this reading is the suffering that the Apostles are enduring for the faith, and for the faithful. The Apostle Paul is pained that he is being stopped from proclaiming the truth to more Gentiles so that they can believe, having heard the truth proclaimed, and believing they may be saved (cf. 1 Thess. 2:16). He encourages the faithful in Thessalonica, saying that they are suffering for the faith in a similar manner as the Christians in Judea (1 Thess. 2:14). And in all this suffering, including his personal suffering for the faith, St. Paul’s main concern is the budding Church there in Thessalonica, which he has been prohibited from visiting. They are able to send Timothy, and when he returns, he brings good news (ευαγγελισαμ?νου) concerning the faithful in Thessalonica. Through this, the Apostle Paul says, “we were comforted concerning you by your faith” (1 Thess. 3:7).

Elsewhere, St. Paul writes, “From the Judeans five times I received forty stripes minus one, Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils on the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting softens, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.” (2 Cor. 11:24-28)

Even in all the difficulties, the apostle is focused on others, on his neighbor. This is a big part of the essence of Christianity, the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). The Parable of the Good Samaritan wasn’t primarily about how to treat our neighbor, but it was answering the question put to our Lord Jesus Christ, “Who is my neighbor?” It was not answering how, but who.

The Apostle Paul starts today’s Epistle reading by telling the Thessalonians, “For you are our glory and joy” (1Thess 2:20). Our fasting, attendance at Liturgies and other services, even our almsgiving and service projects, our pastoral work, all the good that we try to do in the Name of Christ, they all make more sense and all bear much more spiritual fruit for us, when we are truly focused on the other, on our neighbor. It helped the Apostle Paul survive much more than most of us would ever put up with, and even in real suffering as described above, he was able to be, “comforted.”
 


 
 

December 3 - Fr. Paul Martin
 

The Nativity Fast is upon us, and we are all anticipating the Feast of Christmas.  No doubt all of us are thinking about giving and receiving gifts!

But let's take a moment to think about the meaning of Christmas.  Why do we give and receive gifts on Christmas?

Of course it is our way of responding to God's great gift to us-- His Son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, whose birth as a human being we celebrate on Christmas.  As the Magi offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant Jesus, so we offer gifts to one another.

But we don't just imitate the three Magi.  We also imitate the Holy Trinity.  We give and receive presents on Christmas because each person of the Trinity gives and receives one another eternally.  It is called perichoresis, the 'round dance' of mutual indwelling.  So our gifts speak of our participation in a circular movement of giving and receiving, in imitation of the Trinity.  It is the pattern of Orthodox Christian life.   In fact, just about everything we do as faithful members of the Body reflects this circular movement of giving and receiving.  Especially the Divine Liturgy.

Do you recall the prayer of offering said by the priest?  Here it is:

"We offer to You these gifts from Your own gifts in all and for all!"

In other words, the gifts we offer are given to us by God and returned to him in gratitude for everything we receive, on behalf of everything that exists.  Then, by  the power of the Holy Spirit, these gifts become for us the Body and Blood of Christ, the greatest gift of all!  You see, our liturgy is really a circular movement --a sort of 'round dance' of gift giving and gift receiving.  So there is a sense in which every Divine Liturgy is not only a little Pascha but also a little Christmas!  Offering our hearts to God, we receive Christ.  As we offer to God bread and wine, symbolic both of our hearts and the work of our hands, we are transformed with the gifts and become what we truly are--the Body of Christ, members of one another in Christ! 

At every Divine Liturgy, Christ is renewed in us and, in a way, 'reborn."

And isn't' this the meaning of Christmas?  To have the spirit of Christ in us, the spirit of giving and receiving?   After all, Christmas is not just an event that happened 2,000 years ago.  It is an eternal event.  It is an internal event that transforms us now! 

The Cherubic Hymn calls Christ "the Offerer and the Offered, the Receiver and the Received."  As the God Man He is perfect gift.  He is God's gift to us and our gift to God, to one another, to ourselves, and to the world.   Christ God's humanity is so real, that we are enabled through Him to represent the Holy Trinity's round dance on earth.  The circle widens.  He abides in us and we in Him.  Eating His Body and drinking His Blood, we become gods by grace, temples of the Holy Spirit who fills all things.            

How this wonderful mystery can be we cannot know, but we do know that the meaning of Christmas giving is to be found in the Eucharist, which is the sign and seal of Trinitarian love gifted to mankind.
 


 
 

December 4 - Fr. Stavros Ballas
 

Coexistence – The Incarnation

Angels sent from God proclaimed Christ’s birth to the shepherds. Upon their departure into heaven, the shepherds went to behold the newborn babe. “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying told them concerning this child. And all who heard it marveled at those things told them by the shepherds.” (Luke 2:17-18)

The shepherds represent the bishops, whose function it is to teach the faith. Duty charges these “shepherds” in every generation to keep their flocks safe from predators by rightly teaching the word of truth: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (?πισκ?πους), to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:28-30)

There is nothing new under the sun. Today Christianity is considered an obstacle to a unified world because it believes that only in Christ can the world be unified. Secular humanism, the new “savage wolves,” denies this exclusive prerogative to Christianity or any other, creating the vacuum to appropriate for itself the exclusive prerogative they deny to everyone else under the guise of a new world order. These false sheep conduct their pretentious pursuit of peace, feigning fanfare for the common man, touting tolerance and cooperating, as the bumper sticker reads, to “COEXIST” until, as Buddha said, “All is one.” This utopian end amounts to a denial of the faith, a loss of identity, an eclipsing into a sea of oneness, a union with the Devil, no meaningful existence. In Scripture, the word to ‘exist’ comes from the Greek ‘ex’ and ‘istemi’ (?ξ?στημι), literally to stand out, to be outstanding. More extremely, it is to be beside one’s self or to not be in a right mind, as some perceived Christ and Saint Paul to be (Mark 3:21; 2 Cor. 5:13).

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57) in that most profound example of coexistence and true oneness – the Incarnation, God became man that man (by grace) may become God, one person in two natures, two wills, divine and human, a union without confusion, “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us” (John 17:21), not “all is one” but rather “all are one.” This is the cosmic battle between God and the devil, good and evil, true union and disunion, friend and foe, selfless and selfish, a fight to the death (1 Cor. 15:26; Rev. 20:10) that has been won by Christ, destroying death by his own death on the Cross, giving us a foretaste of that kingdom to be consummated at the end of the age, and no better foreshadowed than in the icon of the Nativity, wherein Christ’s swaddling bands are burial cloths.

As we do in every divine liturgy, let us pray for our “shepherds” to always teach aright the word of this truth, always proclaiming, as did the original shepherds, the words of the angels, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)
 


 
 

December 6 - Fr. Anthony Cook
 

Today is celebrated the Feast of St. Nicholas of Myra, one of the most beloved saints of all Christian history. His story alone is remarkable enough (http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=325), but this saint has captured the imagination of the entire western world in more recent centuries, and is for many, as Santa Claus, the primary symbol of Christmas.

Oftentimes we look at Santa Claus and criticize what we can easily see as a twisting of the genuine life of the Saint. A life of prayer, devoted service, and selfless generosity is changed in our society to an occasion for commercial excess, greed, and materialism. It is therefore tempting to criticize what our world has done to the Saint…but criticism and judgment are closely linked, and it would be well for us if, in this season of fasting, we could avoid casting judgment on others.

Perhaps we might reflect that the commercialization of Christmas flies almost as much in the face of the essential understanding of Santa Claus as it does in the face of the historical Saint Nicholas. The basic generosity and selflessness exemplified even in Santa Claus still reflects Christ. At his best, he is still an icon of the Lord’s grace and love. If the image is a little bit harder to see, it may also be more accessible to this modern culture. I have known converts who wept when they first saw an icon of St. Nicholas, because they saw in it the unclouded image of the love they had only glimpsed in Santa Claus. And if the unchurched can see Christ’s love reflected in Santa Claus, then even the commercialized holidays still stand as a witness to the truth of the Gospel. Even now, the light of Christ shines in the darkness.
 


 
 

December 7 - Fr. Aristotle Damaskos
 

As we continue our journey to that little cave in Bethlehem to welcome to the world the Christ child, the Light of the world Who brings redemption to humanity.

Yet, prior to reaching our destination we must trek through the valleys and hills of life; the pain and the suffering as well as the joy and the bliss.  Throughout our travels we might even experience the darkness of the night, where at times we find ourselves in despondency, sadness and distress.

Nevertheless, let us not forget the Reason for this Holy Season that is, to experience the joy, salvation and forgiveness from the bondage of sin.  From a personal perspective let us not forget that in our spiritual voyage the Birth of Christ will transport us from:

The Darkness of…

… Despair, to the Light of Hope.

…Suffering, to the Light of Life

…Oppression, to the Light of Salvation

…The Darkness of Anxiety, to the Light of Peace

…Uncertainty, to the Light of Wonder

… Suspicion, to the Light of Devotion
 


 
 

December 8 - Fr. Mark Emroll
 

“A star showed plainly to the Magi the Word that was before the sun, who has come to make transgression cease. They saw You wrapped in swaddling clothes, within a poor and lowly cave, Who shares all our sufferings, and in joy they gazed upon You, Who are at once both man and Lord.” (Hymn from Nativity Matins)

Christmas is just around the corner. Many are still on a quest to find gifts for their loved ones and special friends. Over 2000 years ago, the Magi were on a quest of a different kind. They studied and worshipped the stars. They discovered the unusual appearance of a particular star. This star, they determined, indicated some great cosmological event was to occur. So the followed it. Their journeys led them to a cave in the outskirts of Bethlehem in the hills of Judea. The star came to rest over the cave which contained something that transcended the cosmos. They cast their gaze upon the Incarnate God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The visit of the Magi is an important element in our celebration of the Nativity of Christ. It manifests several realities. The first reality is that the Magi were taught to worship Jesus as Lord by the star they followed. The second reality is that their presence bears witness that Jesus Christ came as King and Lord not only for the Jewish people, but for all people. The Magi embody all the peoples of the earth. The third reality is that they came bearing gifts to offer the Child.

The gifts have their own significance and are interpreted symbolically in the liturgy of the Feast. The gift of gold is a sign that Jesus is the King of Israel, the entire universe and the kingdom of God to come. The gift of frankincense signifies that Jesus is God, as incense is for worship. We worship God in Trinity. The gift of myrrh is for the Lord Jesus, Who has come to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice. This sacrifice destroys the power of death, and brings forth salvation to the world.

As we approach the Bethlehem cave which contains the Uncontainable One, we must ask one very sincere and personal question: “What shall we offer God?” Let us contemplate on the Magi and their gifts and imitate them.
 


 
 

December 9 - Fr. Perikles Kallis
 

Today we celebrate the feast of the Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. Tradition teaches us that Saint Anna remained barren until old age. Saint Anna and her husband Saint Joachim were deeply distressed by their childlessness. They implored God and promised that if He would grant them a child, they would offer that child as a gift to Him. After many, many years of patiently waiting, God finally answered their prayer. An angel was sent to inform them that they would indeed bear a child. Saint Anna then conceived and gave birth to the Theotokos.

This Feast Day from over 2,000 years ago has significant implications for us today, especially at this time of year. This time of the year, namely, the days and weeks leading up to the celebration of what we could call “Commercial Christmas,” we tend to have a lot of wants. We want gifts, we want the best deals, and generally speaking, we want a lot of stuff. And we usually get what we want. We make a Christmas list, wait a few weeks, and soon have our gifts piled around us.

One of the simplest, but greatest lessons that the Feast of the Conception teaches us is that we need to be patient in life. During the Holiday season it can be hard to imagine having the patience that Joachim and Anna had as they waited to be blessed with a child. They waited and hoped for this gift until they were in old age. This is a remarkable witness to the true meaning of patience. How many of us can say that we could patiently wait, without giving up hope, for so many years? Furthermore, after their prayers were finally answered, Joachim and Anna offered their child back to God. After receiving such a blessing, most of us would do the opposite, and would cling to our gift at all costs, especially after all of that waiting.

We should follow the example of Saints Joachim and Anna and try to be a little more patient in life. We should trust, hope, and ultimately depend on God to provide that which we truly need; at the time that He knows is best for us. Joachim and Anna were exceedingly blessed to become the parents of the Most Holy Theotokos. This took many years of waiting, but look how they were rewarded for their patience! God went above and beyond their simple request. When we put our trust in God, many times He will bless us beyond our expectations; not always in the way that we want, but most certainly in the way that He knows is best for us.
 


 
 

December 10 - Fr. Irenaeus Cox
 

The commemoration of Sts. Menas, Hermogenes, and Abibus the Martyrs - St. Paul the Apostle, in no uncertain terms, writes to the Ephesians 6:10 – 17 of the spiritual battle in which all Christians are presently engaged. This battle is not, as he said, against flesh and blood. It is a war against evil and all the powers of the devil. Although we have received the message of Love and Peace in the Lord, and have been instructed in the ways of forgiveness and humility, we are no less in a graphic and violent conflict against sin and falsehood, against darkness and evil. Although humble, we are not to be weak, for Paul wrote “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” As soldiers for the Christian faith we are told to take up the armor of God. This instruction should be before us at all times. The spiritual battle is a continuous struggle in which there is no time to rest. Every moment of our lives requires us to be disciplined, irrespective of our vocation or position in society. This is no less true of our preparation in the Christmas Fast.

We must stand for good, especially in ‘the evil day’ that comes upon us or upon the world. At times we may look about and see what appears to be the triumph of evil, but we must never surrender. The victory of evil, the triumph of darkness over good, is only an illusion, for the world may see the Church defeated in the blood of the Martyrs, but for us the blood of Martyrdom has become the red carpet that greets us in the kingdom of the heavens. The tortures and psychological warfare that seemed to crush the Church when Communism reigned over Eastern Europe and Asia did not last, and the faithful who have emerged from that great storm of evil have a zeal and love for Christ that surpasses all others.

Gird your waist with truth, put on the breast plate of righteousness, shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, take up the shield of faith, put on the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. The vices will not have victory over the virtues but certainly the virtues will utterly destroy the vices. Truth resists falsehood, righteousness obliterates immorality, the gospel of peace leads us on the path against the evil of dissension, faith shields us from the temptations that are the ‘fiery darts of the wicked one,’ salvation protects us from the distractions of the senses, and the Spirit which is the word of God will maintain us unshaken and fearless in all our battles against the hosts of wickedness. These words are no mere encouragement for a battle that is about to begin but rather are intended to boost our morale and give us strength in a war that has been raging from time immemorial.

We should not be discouraged by the continuous spiritual struggle, but take every confrontation and battle as an opportunity to increase our zeal, to exercise the gifts God has given to us. The armor God has given us will protect us from attack, and He has imparted to us weapons so that we might pursue and destroy the enemy. How do we use this armor, or how do we wield these weapons? Let us look to our fellow soldiers for guidance, the saints who from the ages have fought the good fight and who, in their commemorations and the stories of their struggles and lives, continue to stand beside us. These beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, together with our spiritual fathers and spiritual mothers of the faith, are the great army of the Lord. The battle is upon us, and we are in good company. Victory is in our reach. Let us then fight the good fight to the glory of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, Whom even now we prepare to encounter in the Feast of His Nativity. Amen.
 


 
 

December 11 - Fr. Andrew Walsh
 

It’s difficult, if not impossible, to overstate the significance of the Incarnation. Writers, philosophers, poets, and composers through the centuries have searched in vain for words that adequately capture the wonder, mystery, beauty, and power of Christ. The miracle and meaning of the Incarnation can be so difficult to grasp that we can give up and start to view Christmas in ways that leave us impoverished and unimpressed with the real story. Even in the Church our songs and reflections about Christmas can fail to leave people gasping in amazement or humbled in awe that God would come to dwell among us.

Year after year, the true meaning of Christmas gets chipped away through the sights, sounds, and smells that leave us with good feelings. Dazzling decorations, fresh baked sugar cookies, poinsettias, family get-togethers, gift shopping, twinkling lights, Christmas carols, cards from friends, tree-cutting expeditions, and wrapping presents. Of course, all these Christmas traditions are an expression of common grace, for which we can joyfully thank God. My family has developed a few of our own over 30+ years and I look forward to them every year. But man-made traditions aren’t the whole story, or even the main story of Christmas, and they fail to solve our deepest problems or fulfill our deepest needs.

The actual birth of Christ was not "picture-perfect" as depicted on greeting cards and in movies. I'm sure there was controversy and gossip surrounding the birth of Christ. If fact, we read about it in the Gospel of Matthew. We could even argue that it was not a “silent night.” It is easy to think that the birth of Christ was without dilemma, however it obscures the foulness, uncertainty, and sin of the world that Jesus was born into. We forget that rather than coming for the put-together, well-to-do, and self-sufficient, Jesus identified with the rejected, the slandered, the helpless, and the poor.

General virtues such as love, joy, and peace which we hear over and over during this time of year, are impossible to achieve or sustain apart from the root. We understand what love, joy, and peace are by looking not to ourselves and our good deeds, but by considering Jesus, Who came into the world to lay down His life for us (1 John 1:16). Celebrating or singing about peace without recognizing our need for the Prince of Peace is a shallow peace indeed.  The glory of God becoming man was never meant to be marginalized to a few weeks. It is cataclysmic events which can radically change our lives if we allow it do so.
 


 
 

December 13 - Fr. Gregory Hohnholt
 

In St. Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians the third chapter, we find the following:

“BRETHREN, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, we did not eat any one's bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you. It was not because we have not that right, but to give you in our conduct an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: If anyone will not work, let him not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their own living. Brethren, do not be weary in well-doing.”

This instruction poses an interesting dilemma for many Christians – how do we reconcile this teaching with the command of our Lord in the Gospel to give to those in need? Are we to judge if someone really warrants our almsgiving? Doesn’t that lead us down a rabbit hole of temptation to not be charitable?

An answer to that question may lie in the very word charity itself.  It is derived from the Latin, caritas, which means love. Our charity is to be an expression of our love. In fact, in my humble opinion, that is one of the differences between humanitarianism and Christian charity. That is not to say that humanitarian aid cannot be born out of love, but that Christian charity must be born out of love. And if it is to be borne out of love, it must be personal. You cannot institutionalize love.  Often times, attempts to turn it into some sort of a program distorts it.

Since Christian charity is personal and rooted in love, we must ask ourselves if we are doing right by someone when we give. One of the ways to do wrong to ourselves and to others in “charitable” situations is when it involves co-dependency. Very recently a graduate of the seminary, Marcus Geromes, informed me of two questions to ask ourselves when helping others – 1. Could they do this themselves, or for themselves? 2. Will I resent them after I do this for them? He picked this up in his studies in preparation for Marriage and Family Counseling. It seems St. Paul is hitting on something similar – here is a case where the brother could do for himself, but is refusing. Is it an act of love to continue providing for him? St. Paul seems to be saying it’s not. Why not? Because, from the context of the Epistle, we can surmise that by doing so the Church in Thessalonica would be supporting a false view of reality – and that could become deadly for them in a spiritual sense.

As Christians we must absolutely follow the Lord’s teaching to be charitable, even if that means not giving at times.
 


 
 

December 14 - Fr. Paul Martin
 

Prayer is not easy.  Often when we try to pray, we are bothered by distracting thoughts, and we just can't stay still.  It's not just a matter of standing before the icons and opening our mouths to say our prayers every morning, midday, and in the evening.  Prayer usually doesn't just happen automatically.  We must do something to prepare for prayer, to make it possible for us to be silent in God's presence.

In the classic book “Beginning to Pray,” Metropolitan Anthony Bloom gives a touching example of how one might prepare for prayer.  During WWII, while secretly a monk, Metropolitan Anthony served as a war surgeon.  There, in a field hospital, he encountered a German prisoner with a finger smashed by a bullet.  The order from the head surgeon was to remove the finger, but the prisoner seemed distressed at this and asked if anyone present could speak German.  Metropolitan Anthony, who was conversant in several languages, including German, discovered that the prisoner was a watchmaker, and that if his finger were removed he would not find work after the war.   Nor would he be capable of supporting his young family.  So the young monk surgeon took his time.  He patiently treated the finger, so that after five weeks his patient was able to leave the hospital with all 10 fingers intact.

As a result of this experience, Metropolitan Bloom learned an important lesson:

"I learned that the fact that he was a watchmaker was as important as anything else.  I would say that I learnt to put human concerns first.  Then one began to pray--a stable prayer, standing before God, face to face, and simply being with God."

The Metropolitan learned that if our concern is to be a good Christian--if we wish to stand straight before God--we must put human concerns first.   In other words, we need to serve the needs of those around us--even strangers, even our enemies--and be the Good Samaritan.  We need to be good human beings.  Only then will we be ready to pray.

We are still in the Nativity Fast.  We pray and we fast more intensely during this season, but we need to do more.  What about alms-giving?  Did you know that the Greek word for alms-giving, elaimosine, doesn't just mean giving money.  It refers to all kinds of compassionate, self-giving behavior.  The example above about the German watchmaker is really an instance of elaimosine.

So when we speak of the three spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, we are really including all acts of compassion.  When we "put human concerns first," we are really giving alms, because we are practicing elaimosine.

Metropolitan Kallistos Ware says that elaimosine involves "all forms of practical compassion towards others round us.  Not just giving money, though that's important, but giving time; not just giving what we have, but giving what we are--to find time to visit people in the hospital, or who are house-bound, people who would love to see us, and we haven't had time to go and see them."

Try it.  If you have trouble praying, give of yourself.  Look around and find someone who is needy.  You won't have to look far, for there are many lonely and troubled people with whom we come in touch every day--even those closest to us, our spouses, parents, and loved ones.  Don't forget them!

Open your eyes.  Be a servant.  Put human concerns first.   And then you just might find yourself beginning to pray.
 


 
 

December 15 - Fr. Stavros Ballas
 

And the Government Shall Be Upon His Shoulder

The Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would bear a son and call his name Jesus, for he would save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) Our sins stem from Eve’s desire for the “fruit” that would make her like God. Adam hearkened to Eve’s voice and not to God’s against partaking of that fruit. The knowledge they received in return for their disobedience was of their own mortality and shame: “and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons to go round them.” (Genesis 3:8)

In his mortality, man struggles to survive: “Because of death, man must first attend to the necessities of life in order to stay alive. In his struggle, self-interests are unavoidable. Thus, man is unable to live in accordance with the original destiny of unselfish love. This state of subjection under the reign of death is the root of man’s weaknesses in which he becomes entangled in sin at the urging of the demons and by his own consent. Resting in the hands of the devil, the power of the fear of death is the root from which selfaggrandizement, egotism, hatred, envy, and other similar passions spring up … Fear and anxiety render man an individualist.” (Fr. John Romanides, The Ancestral Sin, page 163)

The struggle is age-old and intense to corral fallen man’s individualism into collectivism for good order and world harmony. History shows, time and again, that absolute power corrupts absolutely, proving, ironically, that collectivists are individualists because as long as death reigns in our mortal bodies, man alone cannot attain to his original destiny of unselfish love, however much he may try. To quote Father Romanides again: “And when he (fallen man) identifies himself with a communal or social ideology, it too is out of individualistic, self-seeking motives because he perceives his self-satisfaction and well-being as his destiny. Indeed, it is possible for him to be moved by ideological principles of vague love for mankind despite the fact that mortal hatred for his neighbor nests in his heart. These are the works of the “flesh” under the sway of death and Satan. (The Ancestral Sin, pages 163-164)

As the inhabitants of the world yearn for peace on earth, remember, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the whole world and all who dwell in it.” (Psalm 24:1) As the Lord provides us with all our needs, so he has provided us, in the Nativity, with a second Eve – the Ever-virgin Mary, and a second Adam – our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ to break the chain man is incapable of and to establish his peace and world without end: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder.” (Isaiah 9:5)

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb. 2:14-15)
 


 
 

December 17 - Fr. Anthony Cook
 

This day is the feast day of Daniel the Prophet and the Three Holy Youths delivered in the fiery furnace (Ananias, Misail, and Azarias, or, by their Babylonian names, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego). They are honored as we near the great feast of the Lord’s Nativity along with the other righteous who looked eagerly for the salvation that was yet to come, who lived in the centuries before Christ’s Incarnation. Therefore, we join them as we now eagerly anticipate the birth of the Savior, for their entire lives were spent in such waiting. But these saints also provide us with a more specific source of encouragement in our fasting and spiritual labors.

The book of Daniel begins while these four saints are still young men, hostages taken from Jerusalem to Babylon before the city was destroyed. They were being educated to be high officials in the Babylonian empire, and were expected to eat a particular diet. This diet, however, had been offered to idols, and they were therefore unable to eat it and still fulfill the law of Moses. They requested that an exception be made, and were told that the food they received was necessary for their health and well-being. They asked (humbly and respectfully) for a test; since the only food not sacrificed to idols in Babylon was vegetables, they asked to be fed only vegetables for ten days, and to be compared after the conclusion of the ten days with the other young men, who continued on the richer diet. And when the ten days were finished, they were found to be healthier, stronger, and superior in appearance to all the others. As a result, they were allowed to continue on their pious fast, and continued in their piety and their faithfulness to the Lord’s covenant. As a result, they were blessed throughout their life with wisdom and understanding, and finally were granted even to see the Lord Himself in the fiery furnace.

For us, then, if we grow weary of fasting as the great feast approaches, let us contemplate the example of these young men, exiled, and alone, who still held fast to the Faith they had received. And let us imitate them, in the assurance that the Lord blesses those who are devoted to Him.
 


 
 

December 18 - Fr. Aristotle Damaskos
 

One of the greatest gifts we can pray for and receive, this Christmas Season is the present of Christian hope.

Why hope?  Hope seems to be the imperishable or never-ending theme of Advent.  The Christmas season is the occasion of waiting and anticipation. Our Christian hope gives meaning and purpose to the waiting, and it seems to rescue us from despair, and even fear, that is so easy to fall into.

Without Christian hope, our freedom and power are useless, our faith in Jesus Christ is in vain and our Christian love has no meaning or purpose. Christian Hope energizes us for the conflicts that we face daily.   Not just with the evil forces of darkness but also, the inner conflicts that each of us encounter, reducing us to feel like we are nothing but failures.

The Christian hope is not simply wishful thinking, nor is it the hope for peace, for justice and for joy.  But rather, it is the Hope that moves us between the illusions of our own present stability, or instability, to the reality of the things that are yet to come, while at the same time, grounded in the reality that the Jesus, Who once came in weakness and meekness in the stench filled cave for animals, will come again in great glory, in judgment, justice, and power to redeem the world to save it from itself. Christian hope is the confidence in God’s future.

Godly hope also helps us to accept that life is worth living, working, praying and dying for.  It is God creating a sense of peace knowing that in His perfect timing will transform our scars into stars.

To experience this Christian hope it is also necessary that we give of ourselves to others by doing something charitable this Christmas. When we do for others, we are taking the focus off of ourselves, and looking to others in need. This is what the Good Samaritan did.  He showed mercy.  We are called to do the same this Christmas.

Finally, let us not forget to begin fasting and preparing ourselves to receive Jesus Christ through the sacrament of Holy Communion this Christmas. In the end, we are in a most intimate way inviting Jesus Christ in our lives this Christmas. This will help us in sharing and , sustaining the promise of the Christian Hope, offered to us Christmas through the Birth of Jesus Christ.
 


 
 

December 19 - Fr. Mark Emroll
 

As shepherds were piping songs, a host of angels stopped them and called out, saying: ‘Cease now, ye who abide in the fields at the head of your flocks; cry out and sing that Christ the Lord is born, Whose pleasure it is as God to save mankind (Sessional Hymn at Matins, Forefeast of the Nativity).

One of the most beautiful moments in life occurs at the announcement of a baby’s birth. Such an announcement brings forth emotions of happiness and joy. The promise of that new life revitalizes us. It renews hope for the future, despite the current circumstances in which we find ourselves. It signals a profound change in the lives of the parents, family and all who encounter this new life. The wonder of a child’s birth restores our faith in God.

The greatest birth announcement in the history of the world happened at the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to poor and humble shepherds. “An angel of the Lord stood before them…and said to them “Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day…a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.”(Lk 2:9-11) The shepherds beheld a brilliant and awesome sight. They heard the triumphant and resounding chorus of heavenly hosts glorifying God. They also heard, as the above hymn states, something quite curious. The angels instructed them to stop their work and praise the birth of the Lord. Indeed, their lives and ours had been changed forever.

Once again, Christmas arrives and we are invited to worship and praise our most gracious Lord. Like the shepherds, we hear the angel’s announcement of Christ’s birth. We are given another opportunity to celebrate the unspeakable mystery of God becoming Man. We are encouraged to set aside our own work so that God might be glorified in His dispensation. We realize that our true joy lies in the reality the new life Christ offers us. His birth heralds the destruction of sin and our rebirth unto everlasting life.
 


 
 

December 20 - Fr. Perikles Kallis
 

Today’s Epistle reading comes from Saint Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 10:32-38. Here is a portion of it.

“Brethren, recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated… Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised…”

After reading this Epistle, and especially at this time of year, I can’t help but think about those struggling with depression. During the Holiday season, the topic of depression seems to come up frequently. One of the reasons that those struggling with depression come to mind for me when reading this Epistle is because of what Saint Paul is addressing here. He says, “…recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.” In other words, think of someone who is depressed; in many ways their experience can be likened to that of the early Christians that Saint Paul describes in his letter.

Sometimes when we are struggling with pain and depression we can lose sight of “what is promised” (salvation) to us. Often, we hear that those afflicted with depression feel a lack of hope. In many ways this was something that the persecuted Christians struggled with. The primary way that these Christians were able to endure their struggle was by recalling the salvation promised to those who endure. Saint Paul says in his Epistle, “so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised.” Again, the reward of salvation was constantly on the minds and in the hearts of the early Christians. This kept them from being overtaken by depression. This isn’t to say that they didn’t suffer from similar symptoms as those who suffer from depression, but they were able to endure through hope in the promise of salvation.

As Christians, we often wonder how we can help those struggling with depression. One simple way in which we might be able to help is to bring the message of the great gift of salvation into the lives of those struggling. In this way many of the early Christians were able to withstand great torments and struggles. Our Church has so much to offer to the discussion about the epidemic that is depression. Maybe during this time of year when the discussion is more open and bit a louder than normal we can do our part to help those struggling; by encouraging them to endure, reminding them of the fleeting nature of suffering and of the great reward that is to come.
 


 
 

December 22 - Fr. Irenaeus Cox
 

St. Anastasia Pharmakolytria - As the feast of the Nativity rapidly approaches, increasingly the meaning of our Lord's incarnation should be brought to mind. Indeed all the stories of our saints tend to point toward Christ in terms of His birth, His life, His teachings, His death and resurrection. The lives of the saints should never become distractions from the message of the Gospel but rather serve to magnify the reality of its impact upon humanity. This is also true of St. Anastasia, whom we commemorate on the 22nd of December, only 3 days before Christmas. Her name means "Resurrection," and interestingly enough, her martyrdom three days before the feast of our Lord's birth brings to mind Jesus' resurrection on the third day after His crucifixion.

St. Anastasia was born in the ancient city of Rome from an old and noble family of pagans. She was provided with every creature comfort available at that time. At some unknown point early in her life she chose to secretly depart from the religion of her parents and join the Christian Church. Inspired by her new faith, and with a zeal to please God, she vowed to dedicate her life to the Lord by administering to those who were tortured and imprisoned for Christ.

Her father arranged her marriage to a pagan diplomat who had gained great respect for his service to the Empire. This did not please Anastasia who wished to dedicate her virginity to the Lord and who despised the idolatry of Rome. To avoid contact with her husband, she pretended to be sick and so claimed to be locking herself away in her chambers. In reality, however, she dressed herself in peasant attire and visited the prisons with all manner of medicines for the wounds and illnesses of the Christians who suffered therein. For this reason she is called Pharmakolytria, because she bore medications for the healing of the sick and injured.

Her husband finally discovered that Anastasia was not only avoiding him but serving the outlawed Christians. He placed her under heavy guard so that she could not leave the house in the hope of later convincing her to renounce her faith. The saint could no longer see her spiritual father Chrysogonus but communicated to him through an elderly servant woman, expressing her deep sadness over not being able to continue to visit those in prison. St. Chrysogonus replied that she would soon be free, for in only a few days her husband would die. The Emperor assigned him to be an ambassador to Persia but, on the third day of his journey, his party was attacked by brigands and he was killed. Thus Anastasia was not only freed but became the sole inheritor of her husband's estate. This she sold and then gave everything away to the poor.

The Emperor Diocletian ordered an intensification of the persecution of Christians to commence throughout the realm. St. Anastasia was imprisoned and tortured, despite her royal birth. The judge, thinking her to be rich like everyone else in her class, said that if she gave him all her possessions he would free her without any questions. She replied, "If you were poor, or in need, or hungry, or naked, then I would help you, but you are wealthy. Only a fool would give to you now." Angered by the insult, he tortured her for several weeks. He saw that she was not only unmoved in her determination but became stronger with effort to the contrary. When all his ploys failed, he ordered her execution on 22 December in the Year 304 A.D. Great Churches were erected in her memory both in Rome and Constantinople wherein countless wonders have occurred through her holy intercessions. May the incarnate Lord, Jesus Christ our God, through the intercessions of St. Anastasia, have mercy upon us and save us. Amen.
 


 
 

December 23 - Fr. Andrew Walsh
 

"Why, oh why, did I ever agree to run this race?" my sister muttered at about the 5-mile mark in the Spartan Race. Her feet were covered in mud, beads of sweat trickled down her face, and people all around us were dropping out of the race. The thing that kept us going was the thought of the "prize"—our family and friends waiting for us at the finish line. Keeping our eyes on the prize is what motivated us to complete the race.

The physical discipline my sister exercised in order to finish a Spartan Race had value. Her health improved because of it and she accomplished something she thought she would never be able to do, yet compared to the importance of running the spiritual race God has set before us, finishing a Spartan Race is of very little value. What matters the most is if we are running the race for Christ.

Just like any kind of exercise you do, spiritual or physical, there are going to be some days you just don't feel like doing it. What should you do when that happens? Do it anyway! Of course, there are times when you'll legitimately have issues that may make it difficult for you to do your normal spiritual routine. You may be sick, traveling, or perhaps you overslept.

One thing I've found helpful is to have a "minimum daily requirement" that I can do on even the hardest days. For me, that is listening to a Bible CD. Every morning on my way to work I can listen to the CD. Perhaps that isn't ideal, but it keeps me on track with spending time with God and often sets the tone for the entire day. Whether it's an inspiring word or a verse that resonates within my heart, it will often change the way I act, think, and how I treat others around me.

What about you? Do you have a daily routine for spending time in prayer or reading the Bible? If not, now's the time to start with the New Year right around the corner. Set a minimum goal that you know you can do no matter what. That may be listening to a Bible CD like I do. What about reading about the Holy Fathers, lives of the Saints, or a few verses of Scripture in the morning? Pick something you enjoy, and do it daily, even when you don't feel like it. Nothing else we do in life matters as much as running the race the Lord has set before us because nothing else lasts for eternity.
 


 
 

December 25 - Fr. Gregory Hohnholt
 

“The Lord has sent redemption unto his people.” Psalm 110:9 and the Communion Hymn for Christmas Day

Christmas Day is still known to most in our country. Though other Christian confessions do not celebrate Pascha the way we do in the Orthodox Church, many celebrate Christmas with great gusto. Lights go out on houses sometime around Thanksgiving Holiday, illuminating the houses, for He is, “…the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” (John 1:9). He is the Savior of the world, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11). He is our peace, and that peace is felt by many.

People often express a wonder at how they feel a little down once the day has passed, however. Some cannot wait to take down their tree, and the stores become mobbed again the day after Christmas, on the Synaxis of the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, people once again exchange elbows, insults, and drink toxic levels of coffee as they wait in long lines to return unwanted gifts or to exploit sales of left over goods which didn’t leave the store before the big day.

My brothers and sisters in Christ – the 12 days of Christmas starts on Christmas Day! It is the time of our celebration, the time for family and feasting. On the Feast of Christmas, we celebrate the presence (parousia) of Christ that has come into this world. We reflect His love by being truly present with those around us, our family, our friends, our Church family and our community. There are those this Christmas who have the presence of pain caused by loss of family, by family members being off at war, or struggling with their return. There are those struggling with unemployment. Just as we all need the healing presence of Christ in our lives, so those hurting also need our presence. Perhaps we can say, instead of presents, make Christmas about presence, the loving presence of Christ.

Christmas is the time of rejoicing in the Lord, not for shopping malls, stores and sales! It is the time of Joy! “For behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy…” (Luke 2:10). Christianity is a faith of joy. Joy is at the essence of our faith, if there is no joy; something has gone wrong. One sign that we are off the path to Salvation is when there is no joy. Presents, cakes and goodies can bring happiness, they are momentary, they can even reflect the love we have for each other, but ultimately, they cannot bring us true joy, only Christ can do that. Love, joy and peace are some of the great gifts of Christmas brought to us by our Savior. Don’t trade them back in. Don’t take them back. No store credit in the world is worth that. “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
May the Love of Christ fill your hearts with joy, peace and gladness this Christmas. May He, who is born in a cave, be born in your hearts and souls anew, now and to the ages of ages. Amen! 

As shepherds were piping songs, a host of angels stopped them and called out, saying: ‘Cease now, ye who abide in the fields at the head of your flocks; cry out and sing that Christ the Lord is born, Whose pleasure it is as God to save mankind.

           (Sessional Hymn at Matins, Forefeast of the Nativity)

 

One of the most beautiful moments in life occurs at the announcement of a baby’s birth. Such an announcement brings forth emotions of happiness and joy. The promise of that new life revitalizes us. It renews hope for the future, despite the current circumstances in which we find ourselves. It signals a profound change in the lives of the parents, family and all who encounter this new life. The wonder of a child’s birth restores our faith in God.

 

The greatest birth announcement in the history of the world happened at the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to poor and humble shepherds. “An angel of the Lord stood before them…and said to them “Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day…a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.”(Lk 2:9-11) The shepherds beheld a brilliant and awesome sight. They heard the triumphant and resounding chorus of heavenly hosts glorifying God. They also heard, as the above hymn states, something quite curious. The angels instructed them to stop their work and praise the birth of the Lord. Indeed, their lives and ours had been changed forever.

 

Once again, Christmas arrives and we are invited to worship and praise our most gracious Lord. Like the shepherds, we hear the angel’s announcement of Christ’s birth. We are given another opportunity to celebrate the unspeakable mystery of God becoming Man. We are encouraged to set aside our own work so that God might be glorified in His dispensation. We realize that our true joy lies in the reality the new life Christ offers us. His birth heralds the destruction of sin and our rebirth unto everlasting life.

---