Беседа на Рождество Христово. Святого Василия Великого, архиепископа Кесарии Каппадокийской

Let the Nativity of Christ, as the Nativity of the Divine, be honored in silence. Therefore, we will not explore it with our thoughts - we will not become overly curious about the image of which cannot be represented, where there was no spectator. What can the mind imagine, and how can language serve thoughts? There is no Father, and the Son is born. Don’t say “when”, but pass over such a question in silence. Don’t ask: “how”? because no answer is possible. To the question: “when” one can only say: “temporarily”; and to the question: “how” one can answer: “born for bodily people in a carnal way.” I can say from Scripture: “as illumination from glory, and as an image from the prototype": nevertheless, do not let you have an excessive desire to reflect on these words: I confess the inaccessibility to thought and inexpressibility for the human word of the image of the Divine Nativity. Do not say that “if the Son was born, then it means he was not,” and do not admire the good, by the villainy of unskillful thought, destroying these images the truth and obscure the teaching about God. I said: “He was born” to show the beginning and purpose of this, and not in order to explore the pre-temporal origin of the Only Begotten. But do not search the Son in vain. Let us leave the conversation about the ever-present and ineffable Christmas, since the mind is not able to comprehend the incomprehensible nature: the nature of the Word, no matter how important it is for the mind to understand it, cannot be compared with anything. God is on earth, God is among people, God is in the flesh: not only does He act from time to time, as in the prophets, but He united Himself with humanity and raised humanity to Himself in the flesh akin to us. You ask: how is the Divinity in the flesh? – Fire is not absorbed by iron, but remains together and gives it its strength, iron does not decrease from melting, fire fills everything that comes into contact with it. Likewise, God the Word did not leave Himself, although He moved into us; He did not undergo transformation, although the Word became flesh (John 1:14); and the sky did not become empty without the Container, although the earth received the Heavenly One into its bowels. Do not think about the fall of the Divine (since It does not move from place to place like bodies); do not imagine that the Divinity has changed by being transformed into flesh: for the immortal cannot be transformed. How, you say, did God the Word not be filled with bodily weakness? We are responsible. Iron is dark and cold, but when ignited, it takes on a fiery appearance: however, the fire glows, and does not darken, and the flame intensifies, and does not cool. So is the human flesh of the Lord: it partook of the Divine, but did not transfer its infirmities to Him. You think about the impassive because of human weakness, and you wonder how it is possible for corruptible nature, having partaken of the Divine, to receive incorruptibility: but learn the sacrament. God is in the flesh in order to kill the death nesting in us: by communing Himself with the flesh. He, as it were, satisfies the corruptible with a healing drink. And just as the darkness that resides in the church is driven away with the onset of light, so the death that dominates human nature became unknown with the coming of the Divine. And just as ice in water, while there is night and shadow, retains its appearance, but when the sun shines, it melts from its rays: so before the coming of Christ, death reigned. But the saving grace of God appeared (Tit. 2:11), the sun of righteousness arose (Malach. 4:2), and death was sacrificed in victory (1 Cor. 15:54), not having endured the true life. Oh, the depth of God’s goodness and love for mankind! With the abundance of your love for mankind, You deliver everyone from slavery. God is among people, let people seek the Word. What are you doing to Him, you human? You do not accept God, who condescends to you and takes on flesh: but you look for the reason for how you became related to God. Understand that God is in the flesh in order to sanctify the flesh that was under the curse, strengthen the weak, bring it closer to Him, alienated from God, and lift it up to heaven, deprived of paradise. And who are the culprits of this sacrament? The body of the Virgin Who gave birth, the Holy Spirit and the overshadowing power of the Most High. But best of all, listen to the Gospel word. Having been betrothed, it is said, His Mother Mary Joseph, had never even dreamed of her before, and was found in her womb by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18). She was a virgin and betrothed to her husband, she was recognized and worthy to serve the secret, so that virginity would be honored and marriage would not be humiliated. Virginity was chosen as an expedient means to sanctification, while betrothal laid the foundation for marriage, and at the same time, through it, Joseph became the closest witness of Mary’s purity. The proper time had come, ordained of old and predicted from the foundation of the world, the time of the incarnation of the Lord, and it was fitting for the Holy Spirit and the power of the Highest to form this God-bearing flesh. And since in the human race there was no purity equal in dignity to Mary, in order to receive the action of the Spirit, this blessed Virgin was chosen by betrothal. A virgin who did not harm herself in the least by betrothal. The betrothal to Joseph was also intentional in order to hide the secret from the prince of this age, who of old oversaw virginity, because he heard the words of the Prophet: behold, the Virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son (Isa. 7:14); but the evil one was deceived by the betrothal, for he knew about the destruction of his dominion that was about to happen through the fleshly appearance of the Lord. Having never even dreamed of it before, it was found in the womb of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18). Joseph received both - both conception and guilt - from the Holy Spirit. Fearing to be called the husband of such a wife, he wanted to let her go, not daring to divulge what happened to Her; but, as a righteous man, he received an explanation of the sacrament. Having thought this to him, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying: “Do not be afraid to accept Miriam your wife (Matthew 1:19-20); and do not think about it at all, lest you sin with inappropriate thoughts." Joseph is called righteous, but it is not the work of the righteous to cover up the silence of iniquity. Do not be afraid to accept Mariam your wife: this shows that he will not He abhorred Her, but feared her as being filled with the Holy Spirit, for what was born of Her is of the Holy Spirit. From this it is clear that the flesh of the Lord was not composed according to the general nature of the flesh, although it was conceived completely carnally: it cannot be imagined that it was created in parts. It is also not said that it was created, but that it was born: from the shrine, flesh was made worthy of uniting with the deity of the Only Begotten. She will give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus (Matthew 1:21). The naming of a name usually predicted a subsequent fate, as for example. names of Abraham. Isaac and Israel: the name of each of them indicated not so much their physical nature as the property of their virtues that were about to be perfected. So it is now: he is called Jesus, which means “Savior of men." And now the sacrament established before the ages and foretold by the prophets of old is being fulfilled. Behold, the Virgin will receive in her womb and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel. He is, as we say, God with us (Matthew 1:23). Already in ancient times, such a name revealed the whole sacrament, since it is said that God is in people: Emmanuel, God is with us. And let no one be tempted by Jewish wisdom, for the Prophet says: And the Lord speak to Ahaz, O river; ask for a sign in the depths, or in the heights. And Ahaz said: Do not ask the imam, I will tempt the Lord below, and a little further it says: For this reason the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, the Virgin will conceive in her womb (Is. 7:10-14). since Ahaz did not ask for a sign either in depth or in height, in order to learn that He who descended into the lowest parts of the earth is also He who ascended above all the heavens (Eph. 4:9-10), then the Lord Himself gives a sign, a glorious and wonderful sign: She is a wife, a virgin and a mother; and dwells in the shrine of virginity, and inherits the blessing of childbearing. Although some people read “young” instead of “maiden,” this does not in the least harm the meaning of the word; in Scripture, usually and very often, instead of “virgin,” the word “young” is substituted; for example, in Deuteronomy (22:28–29), where it speaks of a virgin who was subjected to violence. Joseph stood up and received his wife (Matthew 1:24). And he lived in love, in peace and all care for Her, having a wife, but alienating marital cohabitation, for it is said: not knowing Her, until you gave birth to Your first-born Son. This gives reason for some to think that, having served in purity the birth of the Lord, accomplished by the Holy Spirit, Mary did not reject the legal marriage life. Let this not be the case: the one who correctly understands the Scripture will not suspect anything of the kind. The expression: “dondezhe” in many places does not mean leaving only for a while, but shows the limitless, just like the words of the Lord: “Behold, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20; cf. Ps. 71:7). After this age, did the Lord really not want to be with His saints? The promise of the present is not a denial of the future: it should also be understood here: dondezhe. If it is said: the firstborn, then it should not be considered as the firstborn in relation to those who are yet to be born: the firstborn is called the firstborn, who opens the falsehood. That Mary always remained a Virgin is confirmed by the story of Zechariah. There is a legend that has come down to us that Zechariah, who met Mary at the birth of the Lord, was killed by the Jews in the middle of the church and the altar, as accused by people, to whom he pointed out the glorious and much-sung sign - the Virgin who gave birth and did not corrupt her virginity. Now Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a Judean, in the days of Herod the king, and behold, men came from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is the King of the Jews born (Matthew 2:1)? By origin, the Magi were Persians; By practicing observing aerial phenomena, they learned fortune telling and sorcery. It seems that Balaam (called by Balak to curse Israel) was also a participant in this sorcery, who in his fourth parable says the following about the Lord: I will show him, and not now: I will please him and will not come near. A star will rise from Jacob, and a man will arise from Israel (Num. 24:17). Remembering this place of the ancient Jewish prophecy, the wise men came to find out where the king of the Jews was to be born? and, having found the Child, they worshiped Him with gifts. The Magi, alienated from God and alien to the covenant of the people, were the first to worship, since the testimony of their enemies is the most reliable (if the Jews had been the first to worship, they would have neglected to acknowledge their relationship with Him; now, imputed to nothing, they worshiped God). Diligently studying the celestial movements, it was not in vain that the Magi saw a glorious vision in the sky - a new and extraordinary star that shone at the birth of the Lord. And let no one confuse that stellar combination with the rising star: it moved from the east to Bethlehem and stood above where the Youth was. Therefore, the Magi, following the direction of the star, moved from the east and, coming to Jerusalem, with their arrival they confused the entire city and brought fear to the king of the Jews; having found Him Whom they were looking for, they honored Him with gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh. Perhaps here they also followed the prophecy of Balaam, who said about Christ: he lay down like a lion, and like a slyman: who will stir him up? Those who bless you, blessings; and those who curse you, curses (Numbers 24:9). since the lion denotes royal power, reclining - fear, and the power of blessing - the Divine, then, following the prophecy of Balaam, they brought: as for the king - gold, as for one who has to die - myrrh, and as for God - frankincense. Having appeared in the east and prompted the Magi to seek the Born One, the star again became invisible until it appeared a second time to the perplexed in Judea: having come a hundred from above, where the Child was (Matthew 2:9). And when the Magi saw it, they rejoiced with great joy. Let us also accept this joy into our hearts, for this joy is preached to the shepherds by angels (Luke 2:10). Let us worship with the wise men, we will glorify with the shepherds, we will rejoice with the angels, for our Savior has been born, who is Jesus Christ. God is the Lord, and He appeared to us (Ps. 117:27) not in the form of God, so as not to frighten the weak, but in the form of a slave, in order to free the enslaved. Who is so cruel in soul, who is so ungrateful, as not to rejoice and have fun on this real holiday common to all creatures?... On this day, angels bring wonderful news to Zechariah and Mary and form an angelic face, saying: glory in the highest to God and on earth peace, good will towards men. Let us also proclaim the voice of joy, let us celebrate the salvation of the world, the birthday of humanity, the day of freedom from the condemnation of Adam. You are not the earth and go to the earth (Gen. 3:19), but having copulated with the heavenly, you will ascend to the heavenly; Eve in sorrow will not give birth to a child (Gen. 3:16): for blessed is she who conceived Immanuel and who raised Him with her breasts. For this reason the Child was born and given to us. His rulership is upon His frame (Ps. 9:6). Consider the incarnation of the Lord to be godly. Even if in the material nature there is a most pure and undefiled Divinity, however (through this) the passionate is purified, and not That (the Divinity) is filled with passion. Do you see the sun, which is in the shadows and shines down on defilements? however, it does not perceive the stench; on the contrary, staying above it for a long time, it even dries up the putrefaction. Why are you afraid for your impassive and incorruptible nature? won't It accept filth from us? He was born so that you could be purified by your kin; He was crucified so that you could live with Him. Oh, the depth of God’s goodness and love for mankind! For many gifts we do not believe in the Benefactor; For the great philanthropy of the Master we run away to the slaves. Oh, inappropriate and crafty malice! Magi worship, Christians tempt, how is God in the flesh, and in what flesh? Was He a perfect man or an imperfect one? May unnecessary questions be silenced in the Church of God, may faith be glorified, and may it not be tested by wisdom. Join yourself to those who joyfully received the Lord from heaven: remember the wise shepherds, the prophesying priests, the joyful wives, when Mary rejoiced, visited by Gabriel, when Elizabeth had playing John in her womb, when Anna preached the gospel and Simeon took him in his arms, worshiping the little Child, the great God and praising the majesty of His Divinity. For the Lord appeared as a light illuminating through human flesh with Divine power those who have purified eyes of the heart. May we also find ourselves with them, contemplating with our revealed face the glory of the Lord and transforming ourselves from glory to glory. To him be glory and power, honor and worship now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen 44. In a slight reduction. See manuscript. Moscow Synod. libraries (20–XX) 977, l.l. 281 vol.–287; compare “Orthodox Interlocutor” 1889, III, 513–530 countries. You might be interested in: