Слово на день Рождества Христова. (О воплощении Бога Слова). Св. Софрония, патриарха Иерусалимского 75

For the sake of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished everything that could further and serve him: for, being the Word of God, by pre-eternal birth from the pre-eternal Father, did He not dwell for our sake in the pure womb of the Virgin Mother and did not receive true flesh in and from her? He perceived this flesh not as if it were already ready and existed before, which He supposedly only united with Himself inextricably, but as flesh that received existence along with conception, at the very union of the Word with it, so that its very composition and composition coincided and was contemporary with this union. This flesh, after the infusion of a rational soul into it, He united with His Hypostasis, as the lamp of faith Leo (Pope of Rome) and the wisest herald of heavenly teaching Cyril (Patriarch of Alexandria) taught about this. So, Christ, the author of our salvation, became like us in everything: he had, that is, a similar conception (with the only difference that it took place without the participation of a husband), and was carried in the womb of the Virgin Mother, and, by His unconditional mercy, came into the world like all people, but as the clearest proof of His omnipotent Divinity. He kept the Virgin who gave birth to Him uncorrupted, and through this he clearly showed in Her the true Mother of God. And the Ever-Virgin Herself, for her part, clearly testified to His ineffable Divinity, that is, she made it known to the world that He is the true God and the true Son of God, consubstantial and one-natural with the Father, although those who saw Him considered Him nothing more than an ordinary man similar to them. However, having two natures, He is in no way involved in any division of natures, but remains forever one Christ, one Son, not involved in any change, confusion, or division. This Son of God, the King and Lord of all, this rich one, is now clothed in our poverty, in order to enrich us poor with His eternal blessings: The Uncreated One, and above all the Creator of all things, deigns to appear now as a creature, in order to make us partakers of His Divine nature: Immaterial and Unparticipated in any composition - is made, for our sake, flesh and blood, in order to clothe our mortal and corruptible bodies with incorruptibility and immortality; The Limitless and Indescribable One in Divinity appears in the form of flesh in order to open for us the entrance to His boundless and immeasurable kingdom; Most Holy and not involved in any sin and defilement, or, as the Apostle says: Who did not commit sin, neither will deceit be found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22) - He counts Himself among sinners and appears in the likeness of the flesh of sin (Rom. 8:3): for Him, who knew no sin, the Heavenly Father made sin for us, that He might be abolished Through His sinless flesh is our condemnation of sin, and that we may be the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21); free and by nature the Son in the house of His Father, he is now imputed with the slaves, in order to make us, slaves, free children of God: for through Him we have received that right of sonship, by which we are called children of the Most High. This is the bright triumph we are celebrating today, brothers! However, although we enjoy the heavenly gifts and rejoice, and piously celebrate the real holiday: however, we are not allowed to contemplate Bethlehem close up, and celebrate the celebration where the true light shone, where true life flourished, where the source of various gifts and blessings was revealed, enlightening, reviving and saturating everyone with an abundance of heavenly joys, - where Angels and shepherds proclaimed it a joyful song: glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men!.. But how can we maintain the right course if we do not try to adorn our faith with good deeds, if we do not arm our souls with the light wings of deeds of mercy? Let us sincerely turn to God and seek His face through good and godly deeds. The Lord Himself said: not everyone who says to me: Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven: but do the will of My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 7:21); and again: if you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15); You are my friends, and whatever you do, I command you (John 15:14). Let us reverently work for the Lord, for our sake, who became man, and let us renounce from ourselves the deeds that are hateful to Him. Then we too will enjoy the contemplation of Divine Bethlehem, and with the Angels we will sing there that glorious song: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to men! Amen 76. In short. See “Sunday Reading,” XVI (1852–1853), pp. 369–371. You might be interested in: