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“Christ allows Himself to be known by those who accept Him with faith and love, who are ready to submit their minds to the revelation from Above, and their will to the will of God.” Archbishop John Wisdom created a house for herself. Word for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary “How great are Thy works, O Lord! Thou hast created all Wisdom!” (Ps. 103:24), the Psalmist proclaimed even in ancient times. What is that wisdom (or Sophia in Greek) by which all things were created? Another psalm says, “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the spirit of His mouth all their strength” (Ps. 33:6). And the holy Evangelist John the Theologian proclaims: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word... all things came into being, and without Him nothing came into being” (John 1:1-3). The wisdom of God or the Word of God, by which all things were created by God, is not only an abstract concept of the property of God. The same Evangelist further says: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt in us, and we saw His glory, the glory of the only begotten from the Father” (John 1:14). So, the Word, through whom everything was created, is the Only Begotten Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. It is also called “the Wisdom of God,” as the Apostle Paul says in his epistle - “The Jews ask for a sign and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified... God’s power and God’s Wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:22-24). The Son of God is called the Word and Wisdom of God because God the Father creates everything through His Son. Thus, through the Son of God the Father speaks through His deeds, and through Him “the manifold wisdom of God” was manifested (Eph. 3:10). God's wisdom first manifested itself in the creation of the visible and invisible world. We now see the world already in its sinful state, having already lost its original kindness, but also damaged by sin, how wonderful the world is and reflects the wisdom of the Creator. Let us look at the sky, there are the harmonious movements of the heavenly bodies, everything moves according to the eternal laws given by the Creator to nature at its creation. Nothing disturbs their flow, everything happens in harmony, without interfering with one another. Let us look around us, in every plant, in every animal, in every pebble, we see the wisdom of the Creator! Every animal, down to the smallest insect, has the necessary adaptations for the preservation, protection and development of its life and the reproduction of its breed. Every animate and inanimate body in nature consists of the smallest bodies harmoniously arranged and represents a marvelous structure, an elegant fabric, a great builder and artist. Let's take a closer look at ourselves, what a wonderful and wise combination of the invisible and visible world we ourselves represent! With our body belonging to the material world, we represent a most skilful creation in which each cell has its own purpose. The deeper science penetrates into the secrets of nature, the clearer it becomes that it is a creation of the greatest Wisdom, and the higher our mental gaze is directed, recognizing its Creator. Our very ability to cognize, reflect, use discoveries, create, and act wisely shows that we did not arise by chance, but carry within ourselves the stamp of the Wise Creator. Our god-like spirit especially testifies to the All-Wise God, elevating man high above the earth and the sea of ​​life and allowing us, even in this present life, to communicate with the forces above. We have all this even now, in our sinful state of fallen man and nature subject to corruption. What was the beauty and kindness of the world when it was created! Having gazed at his beauty, the first of the angels, Dennitsa, became proud and, desiring to become equal to the Almighty, fell away from God. Cast down from heaven, he envied created man and tempted him to violate the commandments of God. Having sinned, the primordial Adam, and with him all of humanity, lost their original glory and honor. The human mind has become darkened, the will has weakened, and feelings have become polluted. Man lost graceful communication with God, the Source of life, and became mortal. With the fall of the crown of creation, man, a change took place throughout the world, for sin brought all its consequences. The whole world has become corruptible and sinful. Nature, starting with animals, began to harm man, and he himself internally languished from separation from God. However, the All-Wise God, even before the creation of the world, not only foresaw the fall of man who was created by him, but also predetermined how to correct it. Before the world began, it was already foreordained in the Council of the Most Holy Trinity that the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Son of God, would become a man and take upon Himself the sins of the world, making amends for the crime of Adam. The prepared cure for the human ulcer was not revealed to anyone; the decision of the Council of the Most Holy Trinity remained a secret for the entire created world. It was necessary to prepare on earth a worthy companion for the incarnate Son of God. Among the human race corrupted by sin, it was necessary to find an undefiled vessel into which the entire created Word of God would descend and, with the received flesh, dwell among people, Himself becoming man. It took many centuries for the fulfillment of God’s wise economy to be prepared and for the pure Virgin to appear, worthy to become the Mother according to the flesh of Him through Whom heaven and earth were created and through Whom the destiny of the All-Wise Trinity for the salvation of the world was to be fulfilled. “When the end of summer had come” (Gal. 4:4), and the time had come for the Son of God to be incarnate on earth, the secret of the wondrous Council of the Most Holy Trinity was revealed by God to the Archangel Gabriel, and he was sent to Nazareth to announce to the Virgin Mary about the birth of the Savior of the world from Her. “Revealing the Eternal Advice to the Youth, Gabriel appeared” to the Most Pure Virgin, telling Her: “Rejoice, O Blessed One! The Lord is with You: blessed are You among women... Give birth to a Son and call His name Jesus. This one will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:28-32). The humble Young Lady was embarrassed when she heard this greeting. From the age of three she was at the church, having been sent there by her parents and constantly being there in prayer, She was brought up in the Holy of Holies, where she heard the verbs of the celestials, but She could not imagine being the Mother of the Redeemer, having also vowed to remain a Virgin. “The Holy Spirit will come upon You and the Power of the Most High will overshadow You, and that which is to be born holy will be called the Son of God,” the Angel said, answering Her question, “What will this be like, even if I don’t know where my husband will be?” “Behold, the servant of the Lord; “Wake me according to your word,” Mary answered with humility and submission to the will of God (Luke 1:34-38). Then the Word of God, the Only Begotten Son of God, dwelt in Mary. He for whom “heaven and heaven are not sufficient” (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 6:18), for whom “heaven is a throne, and earth is His footstool” (Isa. 66:1; Acts 7:49) chose the Virgin as His dwelling place, making Her throne a lie, and making Her womb more spacious than the heavens. “Broadening the skies” the Virgin Mary appeared. Nine months later She gave birth to a Son, God manifested in the flesh. “The Mystery of the Mother of God, hidden from time immemorial and unknown to angels, having appeared on earth, God is embodied in an unfused union.” The virginity of Mary and the incarnation through Her of the Son of God remained, however, a mystery to the devil until the Lord accomplished the work of our salvation. “Let us accept the cross willingly,” having endured death and risen from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ gave life to the human race and opened the paradise reserved for them. Incarnate from the Virgin Mother of God, “Adam was exalted, Eve was freed, the oath was taken, death was slain, and we are revived.” Together with man, the whole world is getting rid of corruption, now preparing for the day when the universe will be cleansed by fire, all creation will be freed from slavery to corruption, and the new heaven and earth will reveal God’s creation in all its beauty and goodness. Thus the plan of the devil’s malice is destroyed, and the Creator of the world wisely directs everything according to His will for the benefit of all creation. Just as God originally created the world with His Word, that is, through His Son, so through the Son of God the world is reborn after the Fall. Through Whom the Wisdom of God was manifested in creation, through Him the Wisdom of God was revealed in the restoration of the world destroyed by sins and the return of God's favor to it. Therefore the Son of God is called the Wisdom of God, or in Greek Sophia, for through Him we have known and know the All-Wise God. Jesus Christ “gave us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and deliverance” (1 Cor. 1:30). The Most Pure Virgin, through whom Christ, the Son of God, our Creator and Savior, was incarnated in order to give us eternal life, was the ladder along which God descended to earth and became for us the bridge along which we ascend to heaven. Long before the incarnation of Christ, prophets predicted the coming of the Messiah about Her. The Prophet Ezekiel sees Her as a closed gate in the east, through which the Lord passes, and which remains closed, which means that Mary remains a Virgin before the Nativity, at the Nativity, and after the Nativity. The Prophet Daniel, explaining the mysterious dream of Nebuchadnezzar, foresees Her as a virgin mountain, from which a stone fell away by itself, without the participation of a human hand, filling the earth, which also means the seedless and immaculate birth of Christ from the Virgin. “Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel: as we say, God is with us!” exclaims the prophet Isaiah (Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23). In ancient times, the forefather Jacob saw in a dream a ladder established on the earth, the top of which reached to heaven, prefiguring the One through whom the Son of God descended to earth. The psalmist King David sings of Her as the Queen who appeared at the right hand of the King, clothed in gold and adorned, all whose glory is within Her. And the wise Solomon speaks of Her in the book of Proverbs as the House of Wisdom: “Wisdom built for herself a house and established seven pillars” (Proverbs 9:1). The house in which the Eternal Wisdom lived during the incarnation was where the Most Pure Virgin Mary appeared. The pillars of this House are Her virtues. The number seven among the ancient eastern peoples signified perfection, and the seven pillars of the House signify perfection in the goodness of the Mother of God. Therefore, the icons depict the Wisdom of God, the Son of God, on the throne, as if in a building on seven pillars, denoting His Most Pure Mother. At the top are seven archangels, on both sides are seven prophets with scrolls inscribed with predictions about the Virgin Mary, and below are the names of the seven virtues. The septenary number, repeated many times, signifies the spiritual perfection of the Blessed Virgin. Now, when “Your Nativity, O Virgin Mother of God, is sung, the joy of proclaiming to the whole universe,” an earthly house is being built for eternal Wisdom, a dwelling is being prepared for the Son of God, coming from heaven to save the human race. “Christ from heaven, remove it.” To meet Him, an animated Chamber, a consecrated Church, is being created, into which the Eternal Word of God, descended from heaven, will dwell, in order from there to begin the reconstruction of the world, to unite heaven and earth again. Let us rejoice and rejoice in the birth of the God-chosen Youth Mary, let us praise the Most Honest Virgin of the Mountains, the Most Pure Mother of God, the House of the Wisdom of God, let us give worthy honor to Her righteous Parents, “To the King of the ages, the Imperishable, the Invisible, the only Wise God, Jesus Christ, honor and glory forever and ever, amen” (1 Tim. 1, 17; Rom. 14, 26). Exaltation of the Holy Cross The cross, which before Christ was an instrument of execution and caused fear and disgust towards it, after Christ’s death on the cross became an instrument and banner of our salvation. With it, Christ crushed the devil, from him He descended into hell and, freeing those who languished there, led them into the Kingdom of Heaven. The image of the cross is scary for demons and, as a sign of Christ, is revered by Christians. The Lord revealed it in heaven to Tsar Constantine, who was marching on Rome to fight the tormentor who had seized power, and, having built a banner in the form of a cross, Tsar Constantine won complete victory. Having received help through the cross of the Lord, Tsar Constantine begged his mother, Queen Helena, to find the most life-giving cross, and the pious Helena, going to Jerusalem, after many searches, found it. Many healings and other miracles have been and are being done, both from the cross of Christ itself and from its image. With this the Lord protects His people from all enemies, visible and invisible. The Orthodox Church solemnly celebrates the discovery of the Cross of the Lord, remembering at the same time the appearance of the cross in heaven to Tsar Constantine. On these and other days dedicated to the Holy Cross, we pray to God that God would grant His mercies not only to individual people, but to all of Christianity, the entire Church. The troparion of the Cross of the Lord, compiled in the 8th century, speaks expressively about this, when a friend of the Rev. John of Damascus St. Cosmas, Bishop of Maium, wrote the entire rite of the service of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. “Lord, save Thy people and bless Thy inheritance, granting victories to the king (the faithful) against the resistance and preserving Thy residence through Thy Cross.” The beginning of this prayer is taken from Ps. 27. In the Old Testament, the word “people” meant only those who professed the true faith, people faithful to God. “Property” or “inheritance” was everything that actually belonged to God, God’s property, which in the New Testament is the Church of Christ. Praying for the salvation of the people of God (Christians), both from eternal torment and earthly disasters, we pray to the Lord that He would “bless”, send down grace, His good gifts to the whole Church, and strengthen it internally. The prayer for the granting of “victory to the king,” the bearers of Supreme Power, is based on Ps.143:10, and recalls the victories, by the power of God, of King David, as well as the granting of victories through the cross of the Lord to King Constantine. This appearance of the cross made the kings, who until then were persecutors of Christians, defenders of the Church from external enemies, “external bishops,” in the words of St. Tsar Constantine. The Church, internally strong by the grace of God and fenced externally, is for Orthodox Christians the “city of God,” “God’s residence,” from which the path to Heavenly Jerusalem leads. Various disasters shook the world, nations disappeared, cities and states perished, but the persecuted and even internally torn Church stands unshakable; for the “gates of hell” will not prevail against it. Now, when the efforts of the world rulers to establish order on earth are fruitless, the only true weapon of the world remains the One about whom the Church sings: The cross is the Guardian of the entire universe, the cross is the beauty of the Church, the cross of the Kings of Power, the cross of the faithful is affirmation, the cross of angels is glory, and the plague of demons. Christmas message 1935 Christ is born, praise! Christ from heaven, come down! Christ on earth, ascend! One who sits on a cherub comes to earth! Eternally born in a sinful world, born of God the Father! From the heavenly heights the King of the Universe is coming to man who has fallen deeply into the pit of sin and unbelief! Take heart, all you who live on earth! The Son of God comes to you and for your sake! He does not come to us for punishment and judgment, but for our salvation. Now He is already here, in little Bethlehem, in a poor manger. Why is this misery? Why did He Whom the heavens cannot contain come to a small earth, to a small city? For the acquisition of “one of the least ranks of angels,” man created in the image of God. Just as a good shepherd, having left 99 sheep in the mountains, goes to look for only one lost sheep, so the Lord is not satisfied with the silent praises of countless hosts of angels, and He goes to call to praise “the least humble of the angels,” but the lost human race. Just as a woman who has lost a drachma carefully sweeps the floor to find it, so the Lord goes around the sinful earth to cleanse it. Among the angelic songs, God heard the groan of suffering humanity, and from the fullness of the glory of heaven He beholds the blackness of the earth. And the Lord comes, comes to give heavenly glory to the earth, and angelic bliss to people. Our hearts should be filled with such gratitude to Him! With what loud greeting, coming from the depths of our souls, we should greet Christ. After all, His love extends to each of us, and He wants to raise each of us to heaven. What will we meet Him with? What gifts shall we bring to Him worthy? “What shall we bring to You, Christ, since You appeared on earth as a man for our sake?” All of God's creation rushes to worship the born King, their Creator. The angels bring Him singing, the sky - a star, the wise men - gifts, the shepherds - reverent amazement, the earth - a den, the desert - a manger, the human race - the Virgin Mother. What will each of us bring especially from ourselves? “With what should I appear before the Lord, bow before the Heavenly God? Shall I appear before Him with a burnt offering, with calves of the same age” (Mic. 6:6), the Moabite king Balak once asked. “Oh man! It has been told to you what is good and what the Lord requires of you: only to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:8). “Consume the sacrifice of praise to God and render your prayers to the Most High” (Ps. 49:14). So, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips glorifying His name. “At the same time, let us not forget also to do good and to be sociable, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Heb. 13:15-16). The Lord opened the heavens for us earthly creatures. Let us open our souls and hearts to the Lord. Let our lips proclaim to Him singing and praise, and let our hands do works of mercy. To the Lord, who lies in the manger, together with glorification and praise, let us each bring some good deed from our hearts. May the joy of the whole world fill everyone’s heart, dispelling the sorrows of life all around and raising our minds and aspirations to heaven. For from there the joyful angelic gospel is heard: “To you be born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Christmas message 1947 “Thou didst dwell in the den, O Christ God, thou didst receive the manger, and the shepherd worshiped the wolf” (stichera on verse) Seeing the human race perishing from sins, the Son of God descends to earth. “When the end of the summer had come, God sent His only begotten Son... to redeem those under the law” (Gal. 4:4-5). For our sake, man and for our salvation He came down from heaven to earth. The Son of God will take on human nature in order to reunite man with God. Comes to earth when humanity has fallen into complete moral decline, when people were languishing, seeing no way out. The Jews were waiting for the promised Messiah. The pagans were waiting for something unusual that should change everything. “Either God will come to earth, or the world will perish,” said the then famous Roman philosopher Seneca. From the prophecies, the Jews could clearly see that the time had come for their fulfillment. The seventy weeks from the restoration of Jerusalem, announced by the Archangel Gabriel to the Prophet Daniel, were ending as the time of the coming of the Anointed One and the termination of the Old Testament. But with the general yearning of the spirit and the expectation of an unusual baby, with whose birth a “golden age” would begin on earth, few recognized and welcomed the expected Baby when He was born. Moreover, there was not even a place for Him in human habitations. Mary “gave birth to her firstborn Son and gave birth to him and laid him in a manger, for there was no place for them in the monastery” (Luke 2:7, 16). And when the shepherds, who heard the angelic singing, came to see the One Whom the sky was glorifying, they “found... a baby lying in a manger.” Long before the coming of Christ, the God-speaking Habakkuk foresaw this with spiritual eyes, standing on divine guard: “Lord, I understood Your works and was horrified. In the midst of two animals you will be known” (Hab. 3:2). In the midst of the animals lay the King of the world, who had come to save the world, since people had wandered far away from Him. “Even if I ascend to heaven, You are there; Even if I go down to hell, there you are” (Ps. 139:8), the Psalmist once cried. God does not dwell only in people who have given themselves over to sin. “My Spirit shall not dwell in these men forever, for they are flesh,” said the Lord God, when the earth was corrupted and filled with unrighteousness before the flood (Gen. 6:3). Humanity became “flesh” again before the Savior came to earth. Most of him “earthly philosophized” - some uncontrollably surrendering to pleasing the flesh and other vices, while others, even in their best aspirations, seeking only earthly things. There were few who sought the Kingdom of God, prepared for people from the creation of the world. Therefore, there was no place for the King of heaven in human dwellings, but dumb animals who remained true to their nature accepted Him. “The Son of Man had nowhere to bow his head” (Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58) and then, when thousands followed Him and all the people sought to touch Him, “for all power came from Him and healed” (Luke 6:19), and He fed many people with a few loaves. Even in order to sanctify people with His blood, Jesus “willed to suffer outside the gates” (Heb. 13:12), since the Jewish tenants brought the Son of God out of the city to be crucified. But the Savior, who was lifted up from the earth to the cross, drew everyone to Himself. Just as the shepherds who were unspoiled in heart and the wise men, who were ready to give everything to the Truth, recognized Him who lay in the manger, so in the Crucified One all those who sought Salvation recognized God. And just as the Child born in Bethlehem by the Immaculate Virgin was persecuted, so was His Immaculate Bride, His holy Church, persecuted in the days of her infancy, and those who worshiped Him were forced to hide from the rulers, like the Magi from Herod. A new sign was needed in heaven so that the Church would triumph over the persecutors, and instead of the star of Bethlehem, a cross would appear in the sky, with which heaven would preach to everyone the Crucified One, and bring kings to Christ, who worshiped Him by faith. “The whole earth was filled with the knowledge of God,” and not only “from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seaside region of Thirsk and Sidonsk,” but also from all ends of the earth, many, many people flocked to listen and fulfill Christ’s teaching, being healed not so much from physical, but from their spiritual ailments, defeating unclean spirits and becoming terrible for them. However, the prince of this world does not want to easily give up power and strains all his strength to retain the sons of men. He sows tares everywhere in order to choke out Christ’s wheat, in order to arouse sinful passions in pious hearts, and, especially, to induce those who are submissive to himself to pursue everything that bears the name of Christ. The struggle between the One who brought heavenly peace to earth and the rulers of the darkness of this world, the spirits of wickedness in high places, which began in Bethlehem, is being waged without interruption and with increasing force. It happens all over the world, in every place. It divides humanity, it separates people who were close to each other, it occurs inside each person until good or evil finally triumphs in him. Now more than ever, that “separation” (Luke 12:51) is felt, which was announced by the One now glorified with the angelic song - “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace; there is good will among men” (Luke 2:14). The “sword” thrown to the ground by the Child lying in the manger (Matthew 10:34) separates and separates father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Truly, the words “destroy a man’s household” (Matthew 10:36), predicted by the prophet Micah, who predicted the birth of Christ in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, 7, 6), are truly being fulfilled. People do not find peace within themselves either, languishing from the internal struggle not only between flesh and spirit, but often feeling divided in their aspirations, and they fall, having no support within themselves. And it sometimes seems that even now a more worthy place for the Child Christ would be the manger of the dumb, still preserved from all the destructive “achievements” of this evil age, than human society! But the Son of God came to earth not for the sake of His repose, but to heal Adam’s wound. Having bowed to Christ, “the shepherd returned, glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:20) and “rejoicing greatly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10) the wise men who found Him. Joy of spirit and joy of heart filled the shepherds and wise men who came to Christ. Only He alone is our peace (Eph. 1:4), only He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Both each individual person and all of humanity will see the light only in His Light. Having detached ourselves from the bustle of the earth, let us mentally approach the cave of Bethlehem and our soul will feel unearthly joy, and the lips of the angels will cry out: “Glory to Your descent, O One who loves mankind.” Christ is born! Christmas Message 1951 to the Western European and Chinese-Filipino Congregations Christ is born, praise! Christ from heaven, come down! All the nations clasp their hands and shout to God with a voice of joy. Rejoice ye righteous, rejoice the heavens, make the mountains leap with joy, Christ is now born of the Virgin. Born on earth before all ages, he was born from the Father and created heaven and earth. The Beginningless One accepts the beginning. The Creator comes to His creation and Himself becomes a creation. Having created man in His image, He will today take on the form of man. The Son of God incarnate remains God, without diminishing in His Divinity. He also becomes human, perceiving all human properties. He remains what he was: the True God. He became what he was not: a man, out of love for a man. He remains without beginning according to the Father and today becomes born of the Virgin Mother. God is born today as a man to save man. Man, who has fallen away from God, is now united most closely with God. Christ in His person unites Divinity and humanity, becoming the God-man. In His one body He reconciles people and God. Through Him we all humans are brought to the Father. The God of peace, the Father of generosity, sent Him, as His Great Council Angel-Messenger, to give us peace. He brings peace to us, far and near. We are not now opponents of God and not strangers to Him, but sons of God re-accepted by Him. Man has fallen away from God, but today God comes to people. A man has sinned before God, and God sends to him the Great Messenger of Peace. The Son of God descends to fallen man on earth in order to raise man to heaven. O the wealth of God's goodness and mercy! How can we welcome and glorify the Angel of Peace coming from heaven? “Let us love peace and that which is for mutual edification” (Rom. 14:19). “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). Let us beware of those who cause division and temptation and turn away from them. Let us cleanse our hearts of malice and evil thoughts. Be born today the One who is our Peace! He is the King of the World and the Savior of our souls. The unearthly world breathes into our souls, giving us the Holy Spirit. Fills those who have a pure heart with deep peace and a good conscience. He gives peace to His own when there is good will among men. People from the east are now coming to Him. Shepherds preach miracles without malice. Heaven and earth have come together today, today the Angels praise the Born Child. We will bring praise to Him with one, albeit unworthy, mouth and one heart with the angels: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to men! “Christ is born!” Christmas message 1952 “Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, shine forth into the world the light of reason.” “Where is the King of the Jews to be born? For we saw His star in the east and when we came to our feet, worship Him” (Matthew 2:2) - the Magi who came to Jerusalem once asked. And the shepherds tending their flocks near Bethlehem learned about the birth of Christ, for the glory of the Lord shone around them and the angels told them about this. A great mystery is now being proclaimed to people: that the Son of God is with them. He who created man in His own image and likeness now became man Himself and moved among people. He came to earth to raise man to heaven. The Lord came to save everyone and call everyone to Himself. But He appears to people in a way that is accessible to them. He did not appear on earth in the radiance of the Divine, since sinful human eyes could not bear the rays of the Sun of Truth. He did not come in the glory of His power, lest He should terrify man who sinned against Him. He hid His divine light under human flesh and hid His greatness in the face of a weak and poor Child. He wants them to come to Him not by force, not with fear and fear, and not seeking earthly treasures from Him. He calls those who seek truth, who are humble and who want to purify their hearts. He allows Himself to be known by those who accept Him with faith and love, who are ready to submit their minds to revelation from above, and their will to the will of God. To the sages who studied the stars and through them wanted to know the Creator of the world, He announces with a star the coming to earth of the Sun of Truth. To simple and unwise shepherds, pure in heart, the heavenly armies appeared and sang the glory of the born Savior of the world. The shepherds hastened to Bethlehem, and when they came to the Child lying in a manger, in outer misery they recognized the King of kings. They praised their Creator, glorified God, praised by the angels in heaven, and accessible to every person on earth. They rushed to the born King in Judea, leaving their countries and all their worldly cares, and the wise men from the east. Brought by the star to the Child, they felt the eternal God in Him. Having fallen, they worshiped Him, brought Him gifts from their earthly treasures and burned the delusions of their minds with the fire of faith that illuminated their hearts. The depth of wealth and wisdom and the mind of God was revealed to them. “He who reigns in the heights of heaven” came out of mercy to the man He created. He who sits in glory on the throne of the Divine for ever and ever, holding the rod of righteousness, the rod of His kingdom, has humbled Himself for our sake to the point of being a servant. From time immemorial, the former Word was the Son of God, through whom everything that exists received existence and became flesh. God, who the angels cannot look at is worthless, appeared in the flesh, showed himself to the angels and dwelt among men. Rejoice, ye righteous, heavens; rejoice, leap, ye mountains! Having been born to Christ, the powers of heaven rejoice, and the earth and man rejoice. The heavenly powers of the born Savior, Lord and Master, proclaim to the world. Today every creature rejoices and rejoices, for Christ was born of the Virgin Mary! Come, Christ-bearing people, let us see a miracle, terrifying every mind, let us see the descent of the Divine and, having purified our minds, let us bring virtues - instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh! He appeared into the world, who created the world, and may he enlighten those who sit in darkness. For the multitude of Your mercy You appeared as a sinner and publican, O our Savior, Lover of mankind, glory to You! Come, all of you, let us rejoice in the Lord! The starry sky still shines above us. Let us open the eyes of our souls and see that the heavens will tell the glory of God. Let us open the ears of our hearts and hear the voice of an angel calling us to worship the Born One. Every day joy is fulfilled: for for our sake the Young Child, the Eternal God, was born! Christ is born! Christmas message 1953 “The angels rejoice in heaven and men rejoice today” (stichera on stichera) Heaven and earth have come together today: today the Virgin gives birth to the Creator of all. As we go, the nativity scene is brought and the star shows Christ the Sun as being in the darkness and canopy. A great and glorious miracle has taken place today: the Word is incarnate and the Father is not absent. Angels and shepherds praise. The invisible God, who created heaven and earth, clothed himself with light like a robe, became man and is visible in the flesh. All the angels of heaven rejoice, seeing Him who creates them as His servants, quick and strong, like a scorching fire. The universe rejoiced, the creature brought gifts to its Creator united with it: the sky - a star showing Christ as beings in the darkness, the earth - a den that contained Him who lives in heaven, dumb animals - their manger, which became the throne of the King of Heaven. The greatest joy for man today: for our sake, man and our salvation, the Son of God came down from heaven, was incarnated by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. Rejoice in the righteous: the Virgin gave birth to God becoming human. The shepherds marvel at the born, and the wolves bring gifts to the Lady. But what is the rest of the human race doing? To Your Most Pure Nativity, Christ God, the first sacrifice was infants: the shepherd who worshiped and the sorcerer who worshiped, the angel who sang, Herod, revolting and conquering with anger, sent an army to kill with rage the infant children in Bethlehem. Other people, almost all, did not feel the coming of the Son of God to earth on the day of His birth in Bethlehem. Some of them expected and longed for the coming of the Deliverer, tormented by the oppression of the darkness of this age. Others, captivated by passions and pleasures, enjoyed them. But carried away by everyday concerns, neither one nor the other heard the angelic singing in their hearts, and their gaze, drooping to the ground, did not see the light of the Star of Bethlehem. Only those closest to the Baby Jesus then recognized Him as the Son of God. For the rest, that day passed as an ordinary day. However, the rays of the rising Sun of Truth warmed more than the scorching sun of the south and melted the frozen hearts of men. They heard “Now you forgive” (Luke 2:29) by Simeon the God-Receiver, “repent” (Matthew 3:1; Luke 3:8) by John the Baptist, the disciples began to flock to Christ, who were then sent by Him to preach, their preaching went out into the whole earth and their words to the ends of the world. People, who were darkened in ancient times, have now seen the light of the highest lordship: the Son brings tongues to God as His inheritance, giving there ineffable grace, where sin has prospered in abundance. The pagans, who of old were plunged into decay, having escaped the destruction of the enemy, now raise their hands with songs of praise, the only one who honors Christ, as a benefactor, who has graciously come to us. Now the star is shining again, heralding the Nativity of Christ, and the singing of angels is heard in the sky. Raise your mental eyes, far away, like the Magi, who exist; open the ears of your hearts, like a shepherd, those who labor and are burdened. Today brings joy to the whole world. Christ was born, God became incarnate! The sky opens up to people. Sing to the Lord, all the earth, and sing with joy, people: for our sake was born the Young Child, the Eternal God! Christ is born! Christmas message to the Western European and East Asian flocks “O depth of wealth and wisdom and understanding of God! Thou didst dwell in the den, O Christ God, and received the manger, and the shepherd bowed down to the wolf.” To an earth full of sorrows and sorrows, the Son of God descended from heaven, where the angels praise Him with incessant chants. The King of Heaven appeared on earth to live with people. The Creator and Creator of the world himself became man. The disembodied God, omnipresent and omnipotent, took on human flesh and took on a weak human body, subject to suffering. At the same time, he did not cease to be God omnipotent and holding everything in His power. He is invisible to the Divine and to the angels, who are unable to see the fullness of His Glory. He is seen in the flesh by everyone, not only by angels, but also by sinful people and even animals. Born in a wretched den in order to be accessible to everyone. He was born on earth in squalor and poverty to give people eternal wealth. He is wrapped in swaddling clothes, who brought liberation and remission from them to people bound by their sins and vices. The King of kings and Lord of lords reclined in the manger from which the dumb feed. Where the food of livestock is, now lies in the flesh, giving to sinful men His Body to eat and His Blood to drink for the remission of sins and to have eternal life. He appeared to weak babies and runs away from Herod in order to become close to all the weak, oppressed and persecuted. From His very birth “I had no place to lay my head” (Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58) in order to become the hope and support of all the disadvantaged. He who is born now grants eternal wealth and joy that surpasses all thought in His Heavenly Kingdom. On earth he gives peace to souls, strengthens good will and brings joy to those who bow to Him, glorify and praise Him. Come back, all of you! Come, let us rejoice in the Lord! Flock together, babies and children, glorify Your Divine Peer, who said “leave the little children to come to Me” (Luke 18:16; Mark 10:14), who embraces you, lays hands on you and blesses you. Glorify Him, teenagers and young men, together with the shepherds, hasten to know the Savior of the world, proclaim Him to everyone and praise Him! Rejoice with Mary, all virgins and wives, bliss instead of sorrow, joy instead of sorrow, brought by the One born of the Virgin! Bow down to the born King, all men, and with the Magi, bring Him your spiritual and material treasures! Bring to Him your strengths and abilities as a gift, give Him also from your possessions, so that instead of the perishable you may receive the eternal, instead of the earthly, the heavenly. Bring to Him those who live in poverty, your patience and good will, and those who live in sickness and sorrow - your sighs and tears, which He will wipe away. With Joseph, elders Simeon and Anna, glorify Him, all elders and elders, for now your eyes see the Quiet Light and the glory to come. With the heavenly armies and the spirits of the righteous, let us now rejoice all people, all humanity: “For for our sake, the Child of the Young and Eternal God was born.” Christ is born! Nativity of Christ 1954 Versailles-Brussels. Christmas message 1955 “I was born of the Lord Jesus of the holy Virgin, who art the shepherd shepherd and the magician, O Christ God, who received the manger and worshiped thee. Herod was troubled, for God had appeared in the flesh” (vespers stichera) The invisible God took on a body and appeared visibly on earth. The angels in heaven rejoice, having beheld their Creator God, whose glory even they cannot gaze upon. People on earth also rejoice. “I bring you great joy, as will be to all people” (Luke 2:10), the angel proclaims to the shepherds. The shepherds glorify and praise God when they see the Baby lying in the manger. Magi from the East flow into Bethlehem of Judea, seeing the star announcing the birth of the King of kings, and falling before Him they worship Him, bringing their gifts. Rejoice, righteous people, rejoice, all you who love Zion! Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, who appeared on earth for our sake! All creation brings thanks to Him. Heaven and earth today united in His praise. God came to save His creation from evil and destruction. Only the evil generated by the prince of this world trembles. While the angels were singing, the shepherds were praising, and the magi were worshiping, Herod was troubled. He searches for the soul of the Born Child and, not finding Him, beats innocent babies. Crying and sobbing and crying are heard a lot in Rama and are combined with the praise of the angels. The first great sacrifice to the Most Pure Nativity of Christ were babies. Herod brought his malice instead of a gift to Christ. But having snatched the babies from the hands of their mothers, he could not snatch their souls from the Hand of Him who lay in the manger. The Eternal Child accepted His peers, who gave their earthly lives for Him, into His eternal, glorious Kingdom. They rejoice in it and have fun. Herod tried in vain to kill the Source of life, ahead of the Christ-killers Caiaphas and Pilate. At one time he accepted death for the entire human race, opened the gates of heaven and now descended to earth. He calls everyone to enjoy the food of heaven. The anger of Christ’s enemies is still raging. Crying, screaming and sobbing are heard in Orthodox enslaved countries. Pretending to be pious, like Herod, they seek to kill the faith of Christ, trying to deceive those who worship Him, like the Magi, or in a rage they put them to death, like the Bethlehem babies! The Greeks had just been massacred and the remaining shrines in the city of Tsar Constantine were destroyed, just as they were destroyed in our Fatherland. But those who suffered for the name of Christ rejoice with the babies, and those faithful to Him will glorify with the Magi! Let us now hasten to Him who has descended from heaven and glorify Him, crying: Thou hast become incarnate for our sake, O Lord, glory to Thee! Christmas message to the Western European and Eastern flocks “Let heaven rejoice and let earth be glad. Our God is born from the Virgin Revelation.” The Son of God came to earth. The Creator came to his creation and moved into the wretched den. Does not seek wealth and fame; he lay down in a manger between two animals. He brought to earth not material riches, but bestows heavenly eternal treasures. He was born not in a great city full of the vanity of life, but where people paid more attention to the Wisdom of God manifested in His creation, and felt the voice of God more strongly in their hearts and conscience. The Son of God became man in order to save man who had fallen into sin from destruction and unite him with God. The Born Child now accepts everyone, rich and poor, wise and without understanding; poor shepherds and noble magicians-kings. But not many came to Him, and even fewer remained with Him after His birth. The majority did not want to give up their usual affairs and their usual way of life, and others, like Herod, even sought to kill the Baby, fearing to lose the earthly blessings that they had. What would happen if today the Son of God came to earth again, came not as the Judge of the world, as he will come a second time, but as the same humble Child? Would the current rulers of the world bow to Him? How many would go to see Him who lies in the manger? Would those who partake of worldly blessings be ready to leave them for the sake of the truth He preaches? The stars that shone on the Bethlehem night are still above us. Will we be with those who value earthly well-being and joy most of all? Let us follow the Magi, let us hasten with the shepherds to worship the Child Christ, offering as a gift the desire to live according to His Divine will, and with the angels we will sing: “Glory to God in the highest.” For our sake, the Child of the Young Eternal God was born! Christmas 1956 Christmas message 1960 “Thy kingdom, O Christ God, is the kingdom of all ages, and Thy dominion in every generation and generation.” “Where is the King of the Jews born: I saw His star in the east and when I breathed, I worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:2), said the wise men who came to Jerusalem from the East. Herod the King was embarrassed when he heard this. “Who is that king?” he wondered; will the born baby really grow up and overthrow me from the throne and reign in my place? He ordered all the babies in Bethlehem and its surroundings to be beaten. But the shedding of innocent blood was in vain. That Child hid himself and escaped his hands. And thirty years later, that already matured Infant began to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God, calling “repent, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). And He taught: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven... blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:3–11). He taught as one in power, and that power was manifested in everything. He commanded the elements. He cast out demons with a word, healed the sick, and raised the dead. He saw through everything hidden. “Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel” (John 1:49), Nathanael exclaimed when he realized that Jesus knew all his secrets. But He resolutely rejected any manifestation of earthly power. “Who made Me a judge or a divider over you?” (Luke 12:14) He answered the man who asked to divide the estate between him and his brother. He Himself paid the didrachma (church tax), and when asked by the Pharisees whether tribute should be paid to Caesar or not, He answered: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). He announced the Kingdom, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, and called to prepare for it. He predicted His coming Glory. But when His disciples James and John asked to seat them near Him in that Kingdom, He pointed out that It is achieved through humility and self-sacrifice, and the more one humbles himself, the higher he will be in the future glory. “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes... the king of Israel” (John 12:13; Matt. 21:9), the people exclaimed when He, after raising Lazarus, entered Jerusalem on a donkey. “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18, 33, 36), Pilate asked when a few days later the same people demanded His crucifixion. “My kingdom is not of this world,” answered the Son of God. “Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews” (John 19:19) was written above Him on the Cross. “Remember me, Lord, when you come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42–43), the thief crucified with Him turned to Him. “Today you will be with Me in Paradise,” answered the Lord. Having died and descended into hell to destroy it, Christ rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, from where he sent the Holy Spirit upon His faithful. They then felt themselves to be citizens of a higher kingdom. Something unearthly, incomprehensible to reason, poured into them, filled their souls with strength and courage, enlightened their minds, gave them the ability to endure everything and neglect everything, for the sake of their Heavenly King Jesus. Almighty and all-powerful, He strengthened and now strengthens with the invisible rays of His Glory those who are faithful to Him and keep the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. The anticipation of the benefits of His eternal kingdom makes both His Church and each of its faithful children invincible. Let us feel ourselves to be one and rejoice in the Lord today. For He is with us, the mighty God, the ruler of the world! God is with us! Christmas 1960 Paris-Brussels. Christmas message 1962 “The God of peace, the Father of the bounty of Thy great counsel, the angel who gave us peace.” The Angel-Messenger of the Eternal Council of the Holy Trinity is coming to earth. Not an ordinary messenger, the Only Begotten Son of God Himself. He brings peace to people. “Peace be with you,” He repeatedly proclaimed to His disciples, “peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you,” He says to the apostles at the Last Supper, “not as peace gives, I give to you.” And appearing after His Resurrection, he again says: “Peace be with you.” “This is our Peace,” the holy Apostle Paul says about Him: “He came to earth to reconcile man with God through the Cross, killing hostility on him. And when He came, He preached peace to those far and near, because through Him we both have access to the Father” (Eph. 2:14, 16–18). The wall that separated heaven and earth is resolved, the weapon that blocked the path to the Tree of Life disappears! His Creator comes to a sinned person, calling him into His arms! The Holy Spirit calls out through the mouth of the apostles: “in Christ be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). It was not you who sinned who came to God, but the Son of God, against whom you sinned, who came to you! He calls everyone to Himself, He gives forgiveness to everyone who longs for it. For without the desire of man himself, without even a small effort, the peace of God cannot dwell in him. The Lord does not force anyone to come to Him, but calls everyone: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Come, all you who are burdened with sins, exhausted from your labors and finding no peace! You will find that inner peace, more desirable than which you will find nothing on earth. The soul will feel unearthly peace and Joy. The Magi experienced that joy when they bowed to the Baby, and the shepherds also felt it when they found Him lying in the manger. But neither peace nor joy touched the hearts of Herod and those who wanted to destroy the Child. For evil desire and malice are incompatible with inner peace. And those who do not have inner peace sow discord and anger around them. The Church now calls us to meet Christ Coming from heaven. What should we do to meet Him like the Magi, and not like Herod? “You who desire life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful words. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and strive for it” (Ps. 33:14–15). It can be difficult to do something, we are weak for all that good. But this is why the Son of God comes, to strengthen us. It was not in vain that He was born in Bethlehem, which means “house of bread.” He feeds us with Heavenly food, His flesh. “The Lord of all and the Creator of God, like a Child in the flesh, is worshiped in the manger of the poor; eat, cry, My Body, and be strengthened by faith.” Those words of the Divine Child are addressed to us. Let us hear His call! Let's follow the wise men, let's hurry with the shepherds! Nowadays our churches are that cave of Bethlehem. Not ghostly, but actually resting in them, He who is now born of His Most Pure flesh rests. Let us worship Him, offer our thoughts and desires as a gift; Let us confess our sins and taste His Most Pure Flesh and Blood. Whoever has not done this before, let him do it now, when the star of Bethlehem is already shining! Our minds will be enlightened and our hearts will hear: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men!” (Luke 2:14). Christmas message 1963 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). The angels sang in heaven when the Son of God was born in Bethlehem. “Glory to God in the highest” resounds in heaven to this day, in all centuries without ceasing or ceasing for a moment. The angels praise Him continuously. “Holy, Holy, Holy,” cry the six-starred seraphim and the many-readed cherubim, and countless hosts of angels worship Him. The soulless creature listens to Him: the sun shines, warming the earth with its rays, the moon dispels the darkness of the night, the stars shine, the material sky, imitating the spiritual Sky, glorifies the Creator of the universe in the highest with its power. Is there peace on earth about which the angels sang on the night when the Christ Child was born in a wretched den? After all, when the angelic singing heard by the shepherds had not yet ceased, Herod’s warriors had already sharpened their swords to beat innocent babies. The elders and high priests of the Jews then viciously persecuted the now-Born One, finally achieving the crucifixion and death of the Source of life. And soon after His Ascension, the blood of His disciples poured into heaven, starting with Archdeacon Stephen, whose memory has been associated with the feast of the Nativity of Christ since ancient times. The blood of believers in Christ is shed to this day, and divisions constantly arise between them, often turning into hostility. Where is the peace about which the angels sang on the night of the Nativity of Christ? But, although it seems that there was and is no peace on earth, now indeed the King of Peace was born in Bethlehem, and He gave peace to humanity. He proclaimed peace to people and was the bearer of true peace. “Peace be with you” He constantly spoke to His disciples. He had peace even with His enemies, and prayed for those who crucified Him. He bequeathed that world and left it to those who followed Him and loved Him. This is that inner peace given from above, for which we pray daily during divine services, saying: “Let us pray to the Lord for peace from above and the salvation of our souls.” That is deep inner peace, a feeling of closeness to God and the purity of one’s conscience before Him. That peace does not depend on external conditions, but is given by the purification of one’s heart. The martyrs had that peace during their suffering, the saints who moved away from the world, but were followed by the world. “Acquire peace within yourself and thousands will be saved near you,” said St. Seraphim of Sarov. Christ brought that peace to earth, gave and gives to those who seek Him. Gives to those who strive for Him and prepare a dwelling place for Him in their hearts, driving out all that is bad from it - to those who have favor, i.e. good will, the will to do God’s commandments and do good to others. Whoever not only wants it, but directs and forces himself to do it, the Lord rewards him with grace-filled peace. Blessed is the soul that feels it, then nothing is scary! She experiences joyful bliss and sows peace all around. Lord God, give us Your peace! Let us break away from earthly attachments. Woe are our hearts! Let the light of the Star of Bethlehem shine upon them and let us cry with joy: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men! Christ is born, praise! “You were born secretly in a den, but the sky preached You to everyone, like a mouth offering a star, Savior.” Quietly, silently, the Son of God descended to earth and became incarnate. As a drop of dew falls to the ground, so the Power of the Most High overshadowed the Most Pure Virgin, and from Her the Savior of the world was born. But the world did not notice the great work done by God. People were each busy with their own worries, their attention was directed to everyday affairs and to high-profile worldly events. Rome strengthened its power over the peoples and its state power. Greece developed the arts and indulged in the refined service of the flesh. Eastern peoples tried to find answers to all the needs of the spirit in natural phenomena. The Jews ardently longed for liberation from foreign power and were waiting for a deliverer in the person of the Messiah - the earthly king. However, everyday affairs did not give satisfaction to people, even when they were successful. The “languidness of the spirit” for the truth was felt more and more strongly and it was felt that the world, mired in vanity and vices, was coming to destruction. Not only the Jews were waiting for a deliverer; but the best of the pagans were waiting for Someone Who would save humanity from destruction. But everyone imagined His coming in their own way, and, being carnal themselves, could not think about the spiritual. “The Jews ask for a sign, and the Greeks seek wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:22). And no one was waiting for a meek and humble-hearted Savior, clothed not with earthly, but with heavenly glory. And this is exactly what he meant: “I want everyone to be saved and come to the understanding of truth.” It was not by external force or arrogant wisdom that He came to reign over the nations, not by “frightening a ghost” (the prayer of the blessing of water), but in the form of a servant, the Savior came to take upon Himself the sin of Adam, to bear the burden of man, being available to everyone. “The Son of Man did not come and let them serve Him, but let Him serve and give His life redemption for many” (Mark 10:45; Matt. 20:28). Accordingly, He is born in a den, in a small town, where, at the time of the census, the family of the poor carpenter, righteous Joseph, rich only in virtues, arrived. None of those living on earth imagined that in such squalor the Savior would appear and come to people, Reigning over all creatures. And even the prince of this world of that time, the proud opponent of God - the devil, turned out to be deceived and did not recognize in the Born One whom he envied when he was still an angel. The eternal secret of the salvation of the human race, hidden from his power, could only be known by those who listen to the voice from heaven and direct their gaze there. Those poor Bethlehem shepherds heard the shepherds of the angels singing the carnal coming of Christ, whose only source of wisdom was the open book of the wisdom of God, revealed in the beauty of His creations, untouched by the sinful hand of man. And to the rest of humanity, who did not hear the angelic singing, the sky, with the bright light of the star that shone on it, announced with its lips that “at its coming... The true Light enlightens every person coming into the world” (John 1:9-11). The sky spoke to everyone, telling the glory of God.” But only the magician kings, who sought in him the revelation of God’s destinies and were ready to go everywhere to find the truth, “understood the voice of heaven.” Having collected their treasures to bring as a gift to the newborn King, they left their thrones, left their native land and went, not knowing where, following only the course of the star that announced to them the path to the eternal Kingdom. The path was difficult, but the light of the star of Bethlehem illuminated it. And the “sages-magi,” overcoming all obstacles, walked along the paths indicated by heaven, “having renounced their will.” The star led them to Jerusalem, where they heard the written word of God, and then to Bethlehem, where they saw the incarnate Word, God in the flesh, and worshiped the Sun of Truth. Mip continued to rage with his passions. Herod, having learned about the birth of the eternal King, sought to kill Him; not finding Him, he killed many babies, but was never able to kill the secretly Born in the den. This mystery remained a mystery for those living in the elements of this world. “He stood in the midst of the people, but they did not know Him” (John 1:31). Only gradually did He reveal himself with a pure heart, seeking the truth, ready to stand for the truth, revealing himself to those who desired purification of the heart, who were ready to submit their will to the will of Heaven. And the time has come - the light of Bethlehem illuminated all the ends of the universe. Now the world is in turmoil again! Some would be ready to kill the Baby and are trying to erase His Name, while others do not seem to notice Him. But He stands in our midst, revealing Himself to those who “experience His testimonies and seek Him with all their hearts.” “The nations wander in vain and people learn vain things! With a rod of iron, like wicked vessels, He will crush those who anger Him.” And the star of Bethlehem again shines invisibly over the world, calling on all peoples and every person to direct their gaze to heaven, to have a heart, to fall to the Newborn and to rejoice with great joy, for God is with us! “God is with us, understand, Gentiles, and submit: as God is with us!” Feast of the Epiphany “Thou hast appeared this day to the universe, and Thy light, O Lord, has come upon us.” The Feast of the Epiphany was anciently called the Day of Lights. The Baptism of Christ is the beginning of our enlightenment - the appearance of Christ to the world, the revelation of the Holy Trinity to people. “Why,” asks the Golden-Speaking Teacher, “is not the day on which one was born, but the day on which one was baptized, called Epiphany? Because now He has appeared to the world.” Although, when Christ was secretly born in a den, the star revealed this to the wise men and the angels announced this to the shepherds, but before the time set for that time, Christ seemed to be hiding from the rest of the world, either hiding and running from Herod, or not standing out in any way among the people around him, staying in the house of His imaginary father Joseph. And now Christ appears to the world, with this he begins to openly teach, perform miracles, and comes to suffer for the human race, preaching and working out our salvation. The appearance of Christ and the beginning of His ministry are connected with the appearance of the Holy Trinity: “The Trinity appeared in the Jordan.” The Old Testament Scripture only vaguely and covertly announced Her. Now the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity are clearly revealed. John the Baptist was sent by God to serve Christ on this great day and prepare the way for Him. With his preaching, he aroused the hearts of people in the land of Israel to a particularly intense expectation of the Messiah. He prepared His first disciples. He announced to the people that the Messiah had come and pointed Him out, saying: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29, 27). John pointed out the high dignity of the coming Savior of the world: “He is not worthy to bow down to loose the thong of His boots” (Mark 1:7), he said. With these words he expresses his humble veneration of the One who prepared the way for Whom he was sent. But at the same time, understanding those words in a figurative spiritual sense, it points to the combination of the Divine and human nature in Christ that surpasses reason. The Son of God took on human nature and walked on the earth in human flesh. But just as much as man is superior to the shoes he wears, God is even more superior to His creation. However, it is easy for a person to put on and take off his shoes, and now human nature is inseparable from the Divine in the Son of God. They united unmergedly, unchangeably, inseparably and inseparably. But how was this Divine sacrament accomplished? How this union took place is incomprehensible to the human mind: “Glorified is I in the conception, the image of birth is incomprehensible” (Dogmatist 7 voices). Anyone who wants to theologize about this approach with reverence. Do not dare to reason beyond what is necessary, but learn humility from the Greatest of those born of Women and, bow down, try to understand and teach only what God has revealed. When the time came, Christ came to John. Although they were close relatives, John did not know Jesus, for until that day Jesus did not come into the wilderness in which John constantly dwelt. God foretold to John that by the Spirit descending on the Messiah he would recognize Him. But as soon as Jesus approached, John felt reverence and awe: “It is fitting for me to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me” (Matthew 3:14–15), he said to the Comer. “Leave it now, so it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness,” Christ answered. What truth? To fulfill what is predetermined by the will of God for our salvation. To fulfill the truth that through humility, and not through pride and self-exaltation, that through submission to the will of God, and not through self-will and one’s art, God is known, eternal salvation is achieved, and the palaces of heaven are reached. John submits and baptizes Jesus. Humbly the King of heaven bowed His head under the right hand of His servant, the Creator bowed before His creation. The Jordan trembled and with it all watery nature. The heavens opened, signifying the opening of the path to God and the heavenly Abodes for people, the revelation of the truths of Divine Scripture. The voice of the Father thundered: “This is my beloved Son, in him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended on the Son of God as a man standing in the Jordan. What was predicted by God for John was fulfilled; there was no longer any doubt: the Messiah, the Son of God Himself, stood before him. This is how the Holy Trinity was revealed to the world. “The Trinity appeared in the Jordan, because the Divine Nature itself, the Father, exclaimed: This baptized Son is My beloved; But the Spirit came to something like this, and people will bless Him and extol Him to all ages.” There were not many people there, only John the Baptist was the representative of the entire human race. From him he announces what he has seen and heard. With him the sermon about the Holy Trinity begins and faith in It is confirmed and revealed more fully through the lips of the Son of God Himself and the revelations of the Holy Spirit. The immersion of Christ in the Jordan and the appearance of the Holy Trinity there sanctified the waters of the Jordan, and with them all aquatic nature. Water is the basis of the entire visible world. At the creation of the world, as the book of Genesis says, “the Spirit of God hovered over the waters” (Gen. 1:2). “In the beginning, by the word of God, the heavens and earth were made of water and by water,” writes the holy Apostle Peter (2 Pet. 3:5). Everywhere there is water in one form or another, whether in the form of moisture or in the form of steam. Neither animal nor plant can live without water. There is moisture in solid stones, in the depths of the earth, and in the air. With the Fall of man, all nature was defiled, becoming corruptible and bearing the mark of sin. By saving man, the Lord prepares nature for cleansing from filth. Having sanctified the watery nature in the Jordan, the Lord gave it the power to regenerate a person in baptism and receive the grace of the Holy Spirit during church ceremonies to heal human infirmities and drive away the power of demons. Together with water, all nature is cleansed and sanctified, preparing for the eternal Kingdom of God. While sin continues, “the whole creation groans and suffers together until now” (Rom. 8:22), says the Apostle Paul, but she also hopes that “she will be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21). This liberation began in the Jordan, when Christ poured sanctification into its waters. The enlightenment of the human race and at the same time the sanctification of it and all nature will continue until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the burning elements will destroy the present heaven and earth, and there will be new ones in which truth dwells. This will not be a new creation, but a renewed nature purified from the consequences of sin, where the saved, resurrected human race, enjoying the light of the Life-Giving Trinity, will glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit with the angels. Word on the Day of Epiphany before the Blessing of the Waters “The heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove” on the Son of God standing in the Jordan. A voice from heaven from God the Father is heard: “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Luke 3:21–22; Mark 1:11; Matt. 3:17). Even now the heavens are opened, the Holy Spirit again descends on the waters, and God testifies of His Son. Oh, if only our spiritual eyes would open! Oh, if only our ears could perceive heavenly verbs! We would see the heavens open above us. We would see the Son of God standing among us and the Holy Spirit hovering above us, and hear the voice of God speaking about the deity of the Savior of the world. We would feel how the Holy Spirit descended on the waters, returned to them the goodness that they had at the creation of the world, and made them a life-giving force, reviving fallen nature. We ourselves would be illuminated with light, our lips would be filled with the spirit and joyfully sing to Him who established us on the rock of faith. But only the pure in heart can see the divine. Those who are darkened by sin do not see with vision and do not hear with hearing. People saw heaven at the baptism of the Lord, but only John the Baptist saw that it was open. Many looked at the Lord Jesus Christ when He came to the Jordan, but only John alone felt that it was the incarnate Son of God, while others looked at Him as an ordinary man, a carpenter and the son of a carpenter. Perhaps it was not only John who saw the Holy Spirit descending on Him in the form of a dove, but only he realized that it was the Holy Spirit, while others took it for the flight of an ordinary dove. Perhaps many heard the voice of God the Father on the Jordan, but only John clearly heard God’s testimony about His Son. Others heard it as if thunder rumbled over the waters, just as later people mistook for thunder the answer of heaven, God the Father, to the prayer offered by the Son (John 12:30) So now, we see clouds covering the sky, but do not see that it is open, we inhale the air, but do not feel the Holy Spirit descending on us and the water, we hear the words of church hymns and do not understand their Divine power. But truly He stands between us: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there is in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20), truly the heavens are now opened and their Creator testifies about the Eternal Word, the Holy Spirit will now descend on the waters and sanctify them. Water, by the grace of God, will become the source of mental and physical health, the sanctification of us, our dwellings and all nature, will be kept incorruptible for many years, will become, as it were, the voice of God, broadcasting that our Savior Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who descended to earth and will revive us to incorruption and lead us into the Heavenly Church. Let us open our hearts with faith and open our lips to praise, from the depths of our souls we cry: “Great art thou, O Lord, and wonderful are thy works, and not a single word will suffice for the singing of thy wonders!” In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Celebrating Epiphany, we remember that God revealed himself to people as the Trinity, and that Jesus appeared to people as Christ. Where did Christ appear? Where did you start your business? Did He go to the great city and appear there in His Glory? Or did he ascend a high mountain, and a crowd of thousands stood below and looked at Him as if at some kind of miracle? No! Christ went into the desert, to the Jordan River, where John baptized the people. John preached repentance and called sinners, as a sign of repentance, to be baptized in the Jordan. But as a sinner, Christ comes and asks for baptism. He who has no sin. John was afraid. "You must baptize me." “Leave now,” Jesus answers, “for thus it becomes Us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Adam sinned with pride; he wanted to elevate himself, to become like God. But Christ came to fulfill the truth of God, to atone for the sin of Adam’s pride with humility. Adam wanted to exalt himself before God, but God humbles himself before man. Christ descended into the water and received baptism from His servant. Trembling, John laid his hand on his Master and God, and Christ humbly bowed His head before him. This humility of Christ opened the sky. Then the heavens opened, and the voice of God the Father was heard: “This is My beloved Son, in Him I am well pleased. This is My Son, Who humbled Himself to do My will, My true Son, Who humbles Himself in order to exalt man.” And the Holy Spirit descended from heaven onto Jesus, confirming the words of the Father. Thus, with humility, Christ opened heaven and revealed to people the secret of the trinity of the Divinity. But why did He do this specifically on the waters, and not in some other place? Let us remember how God created the world. When God created heaven and earth, “the earth was formless and empty, ... the Spirit of God hovered over the waters” (Gen. 1:2). Afterwards, God divided the earth and water, but in such a way that water remained in every place and was necessary for every creation. A person cannot live without water, nor can any animal; there is water (humidity) in the air; Let's take a handful of earth anywhere - and there is water there; There is water in the stone, even if it seems to us that it is not there, however, it is there too, and when God wants, he can bring it out of it, as he did in the time of Moses. “The earth is the Lord’s and its fullness, the universe and all who live on it. He founded food on the seas and prepared food on the rivers,” says the psalmist (Ps. 23:1-2). “The heavens and earth were of old made of water and by water the word of God,” writes the Apostle Peter. “Therefore the world at that time was drowned with water and perished” (2 Peter 3:5-6). When man sinned, he brought the wrath of God not only upon himself, but upon all of nature. Man is the crown of God's creation; he was made king of nature. And when a king became an enemy of another king, his entire kingdom became an enemy kingdom. Punishment was determined not only for man, but for all creation. “We know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now” (Rom. 8:22). But “the creation was subjected to vanity, not voluntarily, but by the will of him who subjected it” (Rom. 8:20-21). Therefore, forgiveness of the culprit frees the creature from slavery to corruption. “This corruptible nature will be destroyed and transformed into a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:12–13). To make this change possible, to prepare nature for the incorruption that will come after the terrible day, Christ came to the waters of the Jordan. Having plunged into the Jordan, Christ sanctified not only the waters of the Jordan, but also the entire watery nature, as the Church exclaims in its songs: “Christ appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the waters” (Troparion of the Forefeast), “today the waters are sanctified by nature” (Troparion on the way to the Jordan). And since water is found everywhere, then, having sanctified the waters, Christ thereby sanctified the entire creation, the entire universe. Christ prepared nature so that it too would experience the good consequences of the sacrifice He came to make. But not only that. He gave the waters the power to wash away human sins. John's baptism was only a sign of repentance. Christian baptism is a new birth, the forgiveness of all sins. God punished the sins of the first world with water and destroyed it with water in the flood. God now saves people with water in the mystery of baptism. So Christ crushed the head of the serpent on the Jordanian waters, as it is sung in church songs, the head of that serpent who deceived Adam and Eve, but was defeated by the humility of Jesus, revealed to people that God is the Trinity, sanctified the waters, and with the water prepared all creation for the acceptance of the word of forgiveness and for incorruption. And then, having endured another struggle with the devil in the desert, Christ went to prepare people for the future kingdom and began His sermon with the words: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17), or, as it stands in another Gospel: “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Until now, John the Baptist preached repentance and prepared the way for the Lord. Now the Lord Himself is crying out to people: “Repent”! This voice is addressed not only to people who lived during the time of Christ, but with these words Christ addressed all people of all times and centuries. We also heard these words in the Gospel. When the festive songs of Epiphany have not yet ceased, they remind us that the time of repentance is approaching. Let's be careful! These are not the words of a prophet or an angel, but of the Lord Himself. Let us repent, and during the fast that is approaching, we will try to overcome our passions and receive forgiveness of sins, so that in the next century we can enter the incorruptible kingdom that the Lord has prepared. Amen. Today the waters sanctify nature. Today the Son of God is baptized in the waters of the Jordan, not needing purification Himself, but in order to cleanse the sinful human race from filth. Now the heavens are opened and the voice of God the Father is heard: “This is My beloved Son.” The Holy Spirit descends on the Savior of the world standing in the Jordan, confirming that He is the incarnate Son of God. The Holy Trinity appears clearly and is revealed to the human race. The waters of the Jordan are sanctified, along with them all the waters in nature, all aquatic nature. Water is given the power to wash not only the body, but also the entire soul of a person, to revive the whole person to new life through Baptism. All nature is sanctified through water, for the world was built from water and moisture penetrates everywhere, reviving everything else in nature. Neither animals nor plants can live without moisture; moisture penetrates into stones and into all places in the universe. The waters are sanctified, and through them the whole universe is sanctified, preparing for renewal and rebirth for the coming eternal Kingdom of God. Every year on this day the Glory of God appears, renewing and confirming what was accomplished at the Baptism of Christ. Now the heavens have opened again, the Holy Spirit descends again. We don’t see it with our bodily eye, but we feel its power. When a sacred ceremony is performed, the consecrated waters change, become incorruptible, and are preserved for many years. This can be seen by everyone, both believers and non-believers, the wise and the ignorant. Where do they get this property of water? That's the action of the Holy Spirit. With faith, those who drink them and anoint themselves with them receive relief and healing from mental and physical infirmities, their homes are sanctified, demonic power is driven out, and God’s blessing is brought down upon those sprinkled with them. Through the consecration of water, God's blessing is again given to the whole world, cleansing it from the sins we commit and protecting it from the wiles of the devil. Now the Holy Spirit, descending on the waters when the Cross of Christ is immersed in them, descends on all nature. It just cannot enter a person without his will. Let us open our hearts and souls to receive Him and with faith from the depths of our souls we cry: “Great art thou, Lord, and wonderful are thy works, and not a single word will be sufficient for the singing of thy wonders.” Trinity Consubstantial and Indivisible The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have one nature, one nature, one essence. Therefore, the Three Persons are the Trinity Consubstantial. People also have one nature, one nature. But while God is the Indivisible Trinity, divisions constantly occur in people... The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have one thought, one will, and one action. What the Father wills, the Son wills, and the Holy Spirit wills. What the Son loves, the Father and the Holy Spirit love. What is pleasing to the Holy Spirit is pleasing to both the Father and the Son. Their actions are also united, they perform everything together and in agreement. Not so with people. They have constant differences of opinion and different desires. Already a small child manifests his own desires, willfulness, and disobedience to his loving parents. The more he grows, the more he separates from them and, often in our time, becomes completely alien to them. In general, there are almost no identical opinions between people; on the contrary, there are constant divisions in everything, enmities, quarrels between individuals, wars between peoples. Before the Fall, Adam and Eve agreed and were unanimous in everything. Having sinned, we immediately felt alienated. Justifying himself before God, Adam blamed Eve. Sin divided them and continued to divide and divide the human race. Freeing ourselves from sin, we draw closer to God and, filled with goodness from Him, we feel our unity with other people. That unity is far from imperfect and incomplete, because Some amount of sin remains in everyone. The closer we are to God, the closer we are to each other, just as the rays are closer to each other the closer they are to the sun. In the coming Kingdom of God there will be unity, mutual love and harmony. The Holy Trinity is always unchanging, all-perfect, consubstantial and indivisible. The One and Indivisible Trinity always remains the Trinity. The Father always remains the Father, the Son the Son, the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit. Apart from their personal Properties, everything they have is common and united. Therefore, the Holy Trinity is One God. “Holy, Holy, Holy” we cry to God. The repetition of “Holy” three times indicates the Trinity, that God is a Holy Trinity. But you can’t say “Saints”, because... not three, but One God. Brief transcript of the sermon on Spiritual Day In the Old Testament there are only vague indications of the Divine Mystery of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Bible says that, before the creation of man, God said: “Let Us make man in Our image and likeness” (Gen. 1:26), which indicates that God is not one person. But how many persons are in God and who these interlocutors and creators are - there is no indication of that. And another time, somewhat more clearly, but also only in the visible image of three Angels, the Divine Trinity is revealed to the Righteous Abraham. In the New Testament, the mystery of the Holy Trinity is revealed three times: in Baptism, Transfiguration and the Descent of the Holy Spirit. At Baptism, the Divine voice was heard: “This is My beloved Son,” when the incarnate Son of God, the God-Man, set out to achieve the feat of saving man. Here is the glory of God the Father, and his rejoicing at the sight of that feat of love. God the Son stands in the streams of the Jordan in the form of a servant, God the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirms the word of the Father, testifying to the Divinity humbly bowing his head under the right hand of the Forerunner of the Son. Word on the Transfiguration of the Lord When creating the world, God said: “Let us create man in our image... and likeness.” The image of God in man is manifested in his mental abilities, in his power over nature, in his power, in his ability to create. The likeness of God in him lies in his moral perfections, in his spiritual aspirations, in his ability to achieve holiness. The image and likeness of God, in which our first parents were created, was fully reflected in them before the Fall. Sin violated one and the other, although it did not completely deprive a person of them. The mind and everything else that was the image of God remained in man, but to develop them it is necessary to use great efforts, which only to a small extent achieve what the first parents received completely. There remains in man, to some extent, the desire to be in the likeness of God, although sometimes he falls beyond recognition. In order to restore man to his primitive closeness to God, the Son of God came down to earth and became incarnate. He took upon himself all human nature and became like a man in everything, except for sin. He came to recreate our created beauty in the image of God. But if at first God created in His image and likeness a man who had not yet existed, and man did not take any part in his creation, then to recreate the first image the participation of man himself is necessary. A person must strive for perfection in order to achieve it with the grace and help of God. The Lord showed the path to perfection with His teaching and showed it by His example. This is the path of moral improvement, self-sacrifice, readiness to shed everything sinful. Sin entered deeply into human nature, as if merging with it. Every person is born with the germ of sin, and liberation from it is, as it were, a struggle with oneself. Therefore, this struggle is painful, but it is necessary to draw closer to God. “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and come after Me” (Matt. 16:24) said Christ. The cross that needs to be taken up is this struggle with one’s weaknesses, vices and sin. Gradually freeing himself from them, a person approaches God, in whose image he was created. Man himself does not have enough strength for this, but the grace of God, given by God through the Church created by the incarnate Son of God, helps him. For this purpose He became incarnate, so that He could restore His fallen image again. At Tabor, Christ showed the beauty and glory of His Divinity, so that the apostles, and through them the whole universe, would know Whom man is like and what he approaches, rising spiritually. As a person cleanses himself from sin and draws closer to God, the glory of God is increasingly reflected in him. That is why saints are called venerables. Like a mirror, the glory of God is reflected in their soul, filling it with radiance. When the earthly feat ends, the degree of similarity that one has achieved is finally imprinted. At the advent of the eternal Kingdom, all people will be resurrected, souls will be united with their bodies, and then “the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father,” Christ Himself said with His lips (Matthew 13:43). You might be interested in: