What shall we
offer you, O Christ?
Who for our
sake appeared on earth as a human?
Every creature
made by you offers you thanksgiving.
The angels
offer you a hymn,
The heavens, a
star,
The magi,
gifts,
The shepherds,
their wonder,
The earth, its
cave,
The wilderness,
a manger,
And we offer to
you, a Virgin Mother.
(Vesper Hymn)
The simplicity
of the story of Christ’s birth reveals the depth of God’s love and the mystery
of His actions in our life. As we celebrate Christmas anew this year, once
again Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and wise men, the angels and animals direct
our attention to the Lord Jesus. He who is truly the ‘way, the truth and the
life” (Jn. 14:1) who reveals Himself in the humble circumstances of a cave in
Bethlehem. All of time is centered upon his coming. All of creation surrounds
Him who fashioned the creation!
The Expression of Divine Love
The story of
the birth of Christ is a vivid reminder of the depth of God’s love for us. He
loves us so much that he has entered into life in this world in the person of Christ.
The infinite God mysteriously accepted the limitations of our humanity. It was
not enough for God to act through signs and wonders of the physical world. It
was not enough for God to guide us through the prophets and teachers of old.
No, this was not enough for our God. To express his boundless love for us, the
Living God appeared among us in the person of Christ Our Lord. By fully
identifying himself with us, Christ has come to teach us, to heal us and to
lead us back to the Father. He has come to remind us that we are the Father’s
precious daughters and sons. As St. John the Evangelist says: “God so loved the
world that he sent His Only begotten Son so that all who believe in him will
not be lost but will have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16).
Many years before
the Beatitudes were taught and many years before His glorious Resurrection,
Christ revealed God’s love for us through the simple events of his birth. The
Lord of Glory demonstrated his love for us simply be entering into our life and
by sharing in all that is truly human. St. Basil the great reminds us of this
saying: “Every act and every word of our Savior is a guide for holiness and
virtue. For this reason he became human, so that in images he may depict both
holiness and virtue for us…For this reason he bears a body so that we may
imitate His life” (Ascetical Principles, 1)
Through His
birth in Bethlehem, Our Lord reveals to us the breath and depth of God’s love
for us. Whether we see him as the child in Bethlehem, the teacher in Galilee,
or the Risen Lord in Jerusalem; Christ is truly the greatest gift of the Father
‘for us and for our salvation.’
A Sense of Wonder
The story of
Christ’s birth speaks to us about the mysterious ways of God.
The Triune God
acts in ways that we do not always expect! His ways are truly wonder-filled.
For centuries, the Ancient Israelites had expected the Messiah. The prophets,
especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, called the people to readiness and openness to
God’s actions. Their message provided the people with indications about the
coming Messiah.
Yet, when ‘the
fullness of time had come’ (Gal. 4:4), the Messiah did not arrive as a
conquering hero in a golden chariot with pomp and splendor. He was not robed in
expensive clothing. He did not appear in the capital city.
Throngs of
adoring followers did not accompany him.
When the
Messiah finally arrived, he came first as a baby. He was born to a young girl
who was not formally married. The event occurred in the simple village of
Bethlehem. He was sheltered in a place reserved for animals because the inn was
full. There, in such simple circumstances, “the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us, full of grace and truth…” (Jn.1: 14). This is the mysterious way of
God!
Through the
Christmas story, Our Lord reveals that God acts in ways that we do not always
expect. We cannot shape the mighty acts of God to our limited understanding.
The Triune God is greater than our limited perceptions of Him. He acts in
mysterious and wondrous ways to draw us to Him and to one another in love.
An Open Heart
The persons who
are involved in the story of Christ’s birth were all quite different. Mary and
Joseph were humble travelers seeking a place of shelter. The shepherds were
simple men of the land tending their flocks. The wise men were wealthy and
aristocratic foreigners wandering in a strange land.
Yet, each of
them shared a common characteristic. They opened their hearts to the actions of
the Lord who mysteriously led them to the village of Bethlehem. Each of them
permitted God to act in their lives.
Mary and Joseph
were willing to change their whole life to nurture and protect the child Jesus.
The shepherds were willing to hear the words of the angels. The wise men were
willing to follow the star. We remember them to this day because they opened
their hearts and trusted in the Lord.
Through His
birth in Bethlehem, Jesus reveals that we too must open our hearts to his
presence and actions. God wants us to share in His work of reconciliation. Like
the participants in the first Christmas, we too are called to be person whose
hearts are open to the divine presence and actions.
Centering the Season on Christ
The story of
the birth of Christ and its true significance is often clouded by the
commercialism of the season. There is a very frenzied pace to these days which
can so easily depersonalize us and dampen the true joy of the season. The
stores tempt us for weeks on end to buy this thing or by that thing. Some of us
prefer to speak of the ‘Holiday Season’ rather than of Christmas. Many schools
have forbidden the remembrance of Christ’s birth in the classroom. Yes,
throughout our society, many fail to remember that the coming of Christ is
truly at the heart of the Christmas celebrations.
What can we do?
Let us remember that the season celebrates the love of God revealed in the
coming of Christ. For those with faith, the colored lights, the green trees,
the wreaths and the flowers are the symbols of the joy of Christmas. Let us
celebrate the joy of Christ’s coming!
Let us share
the love of God with others. Christ has come to bear witness to the Father’s
love for us. We too can share this love with others, especially with the poor
and less fortunate among us. We can be sensitive to those who cannot easily
celebrate because of a loss in their lives. Let us be the ambassadors of God
who share His care and philanthropy.
Let us seek the
Lord with an open heart as the shepherds and wise men did.
This means that
we find opportunities for prayer and meditation, for reading the Scriptures
related to Christ’s coming. This means that we can make Christmas a special day
by participating in the Divine Liturgy and by receiving Holy Communion with
reverence for God, with faith and with love.
To Christ Our
Lord be glory, now and forever and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
Fr. Thomas FitzGerald is Professor of Church History
at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Mass.
Source: http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/outreach/resources/reflections/showus
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