Nativity Encyclical from our Archbishop
GREEK ORTHODOX
ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
8-10 East
79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106
Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212)
774-0215
Web:
http://www.goarch.org
Email:
communications@goarch.org
Protocol
142/07
December 25,
2007
The Nativity of
Christ
What shall we offer
You, O Christ,
Who for our sakes has
appeared on earth as a man?
(From the Vespers of the
Nativity)
To the Most Reverend
Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents
and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the
Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and
Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic
Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in
America
Beloved Brothers and Sisters
in Christ,
On this glorious day of the
Feast of the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ we celebrate the
truly historical, universal, and eternal event of His Incarnation. It is
historical, for at the divinely appointed time He entered our human history by
being conceived and formed in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and was born of her
in a cave in Bethlehem. It is universal because the Son of God, the divine
Logos of Creation, took upon himself human flesh and blood so that He might
redeem us and all of the universe from the burden of sin and death. His
Incarnation and birth has eternal significance because through His life, we are
offered life, not just a mortal and earthly life, but unending life.
"For God so loved the
world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish
but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
The gift of the Lord and the gift of life are the greatest offerings
presented to humankind. God the Father gave his Son, and the Son gave
Himself so that we might be restored to the life and communion for which we were
created.
It is in this gift
that we see and experience the true nature of giving. First, our Lord gave
himself freely. He did this because of His great love for us. Jesus
became like us in every way with the exception of sin. He began his life
in the womb, then as an infant. He endured temptation, suffering and
death, and He affirmed the power of faith through His Resurrection. In
this revelation of God’s love, our Lord has given completely, freely, and
willingly so that we might be saved.
Second, Christ offered himself
in humility. He did not enter this world in all of the trappings of
royalty and might. He did not come seeking fame, political power, and
wealth. It would appear that He came in weakness and obscurity and that
His meager beginnings would be no match for worldly authority. But in His
humility was His power. In entering our humanity, our Lord exalted what
had been made low by sin and death. As the Son of God Incarnate, He
affirmed the divine imprint on our creation and our lives. Through His
birth, life, teaching, and miracles He baffled the so-called wise of this world,
brought down pride and spiritual arrogance, and illumined the path of truth so
that all might enter His kingdom.
Third, the offering of our
Lord was one of peace. His compassionate sacrifice of himself was not
accomplished through violence. His birth signified that His cause was
life, and even through His death He revealed His power to give and uphold life.
The peace offered by Christ is an enduring peace that is experienced and
sustained not by the sword, but through faith and
love.
Brothers and Sisters in
Christ,
Let us contemplate what our
Lord has offered to us, especially during this time of year when we give to one
another. Giving can and should be a blessed and beautiful act toward
others when we know the true nature of giving. Our Lord has given to us
freely, and in humility and love. In the challenges of our lives and the
uncertainty of our world He gives us peace. What can we offer to Him and
to one another? In our celebration of this great Feast of the Nativity, we
can affirm our faith in Him. We can and should offer all of our being for
His glory and service, sharing in the life, love, and peace that will be ours
for all eternity.
With
paternal love in Christ,
+DEMETRIOS
Archbishop of America
Posted: Tuesday - December 18, 2007 at 10:25 AM
