“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel” (Matthew 2:6).
The Messiah is born! Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
The message is as clear today as it was 2000 years ago at the wonderful birth of our Savior. A message of good tidings and incomprehensible joy, even in this chaotic world that we live in today. The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ brings us peace, calm, comfort and encouraging hope. “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Eternal salvation is our hope and the birth of our Lord is with us today, and every day of our lives. It is our hope in the everlasting and eternal. St. Paul confirms to us that we will definitely experience suffering in our earthly bodies but because of our Lord’s willingness to come to earth we can look ahead to a Heavenly Home and a Heavenly body in Heaven.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Corinthians 4:16-18).
Through the Glorious Nativity, love has been manifested and the faithfulness of our Lord has been proven. Eternal salvation has been guaranteed to those who abide in him. Melito Bishop of Sardis speaks beautifully about the nativity as follows:
“Though the Son was incorporeal, He formed for Himself a human body after our fashion. He appeared as one of the sheep; yet, He still remained the Shepherd. He was esteemed a servant; yet He did not renounce the Sonship. He was carried in the womb of Mary, yet arrayed in the nature of His Father. He walked upon the earth, yet He filled Heaven. He appeared as an infant, yet He did not discard the eternity of His nature. He was invested with a body, but it did not circumscribe the unmixed simplicity of His Divinity. He needed sustenance inasmuch as He was born a man; yet He did not cease to feed the entire world inasmuch as He is God. He put on the likeness of a servant while not impairing the likeness of His Father.”
Merry Christmas to all, and let us remember that the best gift was not wrapped in paper, but in swaddling clothes and let us ask God to clear our minds so that we can focus on his immaculate gift of salvation.
- Reflections from Articles of Bishop Youssef
Image by Jan van ‘t Hoff/Gospelimages.com
Chrism 