Word for Christmas, which coincided with Sunday

“The Word for the Nativity of Christ, which coincided with Sunday” was pronounced by St. Sophronius of Jerusalem in 634 in Bethlehem. The saint combines the themes of Christmas and Resurrection, presenting Christ as the “Sun of Truth”, rising twice: from the virgin womb and from the gates of hell. He emphasizes that Christmas brought joy to the souls of mortals, and the Resurrection destroyed death and opened the way to immortality. St. Sophronius raises dogmatic questions concerning the two natures of Christ and His Divine Incarnation. He emphasizes that the Savior preserved human nature with all its properties, including its natural action: “But the Son shines with His two natures: one is Divine, the other is human; and yet He is by no means divisible; because there remains one Christ, and one Son, alien to any change, confusion, cutting and division.” *The title of the work in Latin is In Christi Natalitia. I see that this joyful and bright day is illuminated, as it were, with intense radiance and luminosity, and fills our human race with extreme joy and sweetness. Not because he showed us two suns and for this reason illuminates us with special grace, but because the one and the same Sun of Truth, which he (this day) offers, seems to rise doubly today for us who live our lives on earth, and brings the human race extreme radiance and glory, and brings it, at the same time, extreme spiritual joy. It ascends, on the one hand, coming from the virgin womb, and, on the other hand, rising from the gates of hellish dungeons. As He came forth (from the womb of His Ever-Virgin Mother), He filled the souls of mortals with joy; and as a risen (from the dead) He destroyed the ominous death, and took away from it all the dead whom it held in its power; and for us, who revolve in this earthly region, he opened the way to imperishable and immortal life. Because (today) both have merged into one, as it says in the psalm: “Mercy and truth have been met, justice and peace have been embraced: truth has come from the earth, and righteousness has come from heaven” (Ps. 85:11-12). Because (this year) the Nativity of Christ, as well as the memory of His Resurrection from the dead, coincided on one day. And therefore, it would be fair and deserved to call this bright day “Lord of Days,” as it reveals to us the common Lord of all risen from the dead and, at the same time, because of His Nativity from the Virgin, filled and aggravated by Christmas festivities. Nothing could be brighter than this; one cannot see with the eyes of the soul anything sweeter than this. Because what could be brighter for the soul than the Divine Nativity of the Greatest and Most Gracious God? What is more worthy of celebration? And, again, what could be more festive? Because This is the true Light, Which from the Eternal Light pre-eternally and inseparably comes from Him, He rises today for us purely, namely: both through His Nativity and His Resurrection, and illuminates us with special saving rays: because both are filled with saving joy. For this reason, they illuminate this current celebration with joyful and festive names and call the faithful with their special name to a worthy celebration of this holiday. Here, the Virgin, who gave birth to Him, received an Angel, who, not without the fairest reason, turns to her with these words: “Rejoice, full of grace! The Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28); with this he seems to be saying: - the curse to which Eve once subjected herself has finally, thanks to You, come to an end. Now, again, the shepherds, who are awake and keep the night watch, hear from the Angel, thus telling them: “Behold, I bring you great joy that is good news to all people. For today a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord in the city of David” (Luke 2:10–11), by whom we are saved and, having cast off the yoke of slavery, are raised into sons of God (without any merit on our part). And there, the famous women, disciples of Christ’s redemption, hear from the Lord Himself calling to them: “Rejoice” (Matthew 28:9). Because, of course, Christ is the Source of such joy for everyone. Because, thanks to Him, death is dead, and this terrible sentence to us, as if becoming unfit, was canceled; and the legal oath fell away, and Eve’s sadness ceased, and the power of death was overthrown, and the resurrection of the dead, no longer allowing death to rage, actually made its beginning. Here, due to the admission of treachery (by the first people) in paradise, this curse: “Bear children in sickness” (Gen. 3:16), is completely abolished: because the Nativity of Christ happened with joy and gladness. And there, another curse: “You are earth, and you will go back to earth” (Gen. 3:19), was completely lifted by the fact that Life clearly revealed the resurrection from the dead; so for Eve the curse and punishment consisted of: “Give birth to a child in illness”; and to Adam this was expressed in a different form: “You are earth, and you will go to earth”; and both of them were destined to constantly lead a meager and unhappy life. But, behold, their almighty Liberator and Redeemer appeared into the world with His Nativity and Resurrection, and showed Himself to be a true Redeemer and Liberator. Because there is nothing that can surpass God's omnipotence. Because: “The Lord kills and gives life, brings down to hell and raises up,” as it is written (1 Samuel 2:6). But there is nothing that could ever hinder His omnipotent will. His hand punishes a person for sins, and it also heals the broken, because of His great love for mankind. But who am I who could adequately explain what we see and hear? Because I lack either speech, or tongue, or lips, with which I would deservedly explain the miracles of these divine holidays. And for this reason, being in great confusion and in the greatest difficulty, I borrow the hymn sung by the Angels, and to God - who took on human nature, as he rose today from the grave and from the dead, I will sing with a great voice, and clearly and distinctly announce: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). Because in order to exalt us and show us as heavenly rather than earthly, He descended from the heights (of heaven) to us, the excluded and outcast. And, again, He gave us, defeated in the invisible battle, security and peace and reconciled us with His Father, and in Himself, creating our reconciliation with God the Father, He revealed that He is our Peace. And we, in equal measure, who were very far rejected from the eyes of God and guilty before Him, He thus adorned (or: provided) with His virtues and restored us, so that we became pleasing to God and He looked upon us with a merciful eye. And among other things, He granted us that the wall separating us from God would be taken away, so that we could look with “unveiled face” at the glory of God (Eph. 2:14-15). And, finally, we, who, due to a crime (God's commandment in paradise) were once subjected to death and voluntarily, as if having concluded an agreement with it, accepted it, “for God did not create death and - being very good - does not rejoice at the destruction of the living” (Wis. 1:13), - again (we) called into life and resurrected us from the grave and decay and ordered us to say: “Where is your line in death? where is your osten, hell? ( Hos. 13:14 ). Because Christ, condescending to us, humble and by His will, accepting our image of birth and, as a true man, exposing Himself to death, broke and deprived both of them (i.e., death and hell). “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and understanding of God!” (Rom.11:33). Oh, what a truly enormous blessing! Because then, when we did not exist before, He created us out of nothing. And then, when we slipped into destruction, as a result of mad and reckless advice, and were thrown headfirst into the hellish abyss of death, He raised us again from the grave; and, having defeated death, which held us tightly in its captivity, he again restored our nature capable of life, and, moreover, the very spiritual strength, in the same measure, as it was before, did not at all cease to be poured into it. Since He is God, He continually bestows gifts and benefits, truly divine and great, on those who need His help. And therefore I cry again and always together with these heavenly armies I will cry: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Because, indeed, what is more appropriate and, in truth, more fitting and more glorious in itself, can those who wish to glorify and exalt the born God say with praise than - “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”? God is on earth, and is there anyone who would not want to go to heaven? God, born of the Virgin, comes into our midst, and is there anyone who would not wish to become divine today? Who, in order to be able to come closer to Him, will not long for virginity and devote himself to abstinence with a cheerful spirit? God is wrapped in wretched and humble shrouds, and is there anyone who happens to encounter something unpleasant and upsetting in his life who does not accept it with open arms in order to be a partaker of the Divine? Because for no other reason did God put on human poverty than to make us gods by His grace. And, behold, this is the psalmist David, who is also the forefather of Christ, enlightened by the prophetic spirit and informed of the good deed that from him (according to the flesh) Christ will come, and clearly seeing His most luminous and divine deeds, he has long proclaimed in clearly expressed words: “Az reh: you are gods by nature and sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6). God is in our midst, and we, having put on the old man and, as far as possible, imitating Him, will become divine. The sublime has become earthly, and we will also raise the mountain (to the height) of the intentions of our mind and spiritual desires, and strive to make us capable of receiving divine gifts. God clearly lies in a manger, and to us, who are exhausted from hunger, and like beasts of burden, one might say, are not at all guided by common sense, He offers Himself, of His will, as food. And when this favorable 1 food, as if a divine meal, by the love of God is provided to those who do not deserve it at all, is there anyone who will not enjoy its Divinity? I will say: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” I rejoice and, like the shepherds, am full of joy when I hear these truly divine words; and to the manger that received God, I thirst to flow, as well as into that heavenly cave (where the Nativity of Christ took place), striving to penetrate with all the fervor of my soul, I want to directly see the Mystery that was accomplished in it, and that angelic song: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men,” - for the glory and honor of the newly born Christ, I want to borrow with all my soul. But I also honor and magnify the divine Magi, and I am even more amazed at their journey, which, by God’s grace and instructed from Above, these men made, came to heavenly Bethlehem. And they arrived there, not at all afraid of the rage of Herod and the sword of the murderer of children, having received for their convenience a star, showing them the path with its light and arranged in order to serve them as a leader, so exalted and, of course, heavenly, for their exalted and heavenly path. Oh, I would like to be their companion and would like on my part to bring certain gifts to the born God; and although now He will not demand gold or frankincense or myrrh from people devoted to Him (because these, like other things necessary for use in life, He Himself, as the Creator and Lord of all, rather has the habit of giving to those in need than demanding from anyone) 2. Instead of gold, He requires from us sincerity (purity) of faith. Instead of myrrh, He urgently asks for immaculate impeccability of soul and body: on the one hand, purity in the confession of dogmas; and on the other hand, the Orthodox meaning and understanding of the objects of faith. Instead of frankincense, He requires from us the fragrance of good deeds. Not for the reason (He demands all this from us) so that He Himself would become rich from this, but in order, thanks to this, to make us rich. Because is there any thing so sublime and heavenly, or good deeds so wonderful, of which the treasury and the source and the immeasurable abyss would be (someone other than) God? And not only is He the only one who is their beginning and cause, but also the magnanimous and generous - if there are those in need - the giver of them. But let the divine wise men and shepherds go to Bethlehem, which has received God, and let them have a star as their companion and guide on their way, and let them see with their own eyes this most amazing miracle, and, seeing, let them be amazed and let them joyfully offer gifts worthy of the magicians, and let them echo the angelic praise, saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace in good will of men." Let them not be at all afraid; let them not feel at all afraid; let them not be alarmed in spirit regarding Herod’s fury or any other danger that might meet them on the way; but let them be possessed only by divine reflections and let their gaze behold the Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a divine manger, the Child Who is the Guardian of all infants, and God and Lord, truly incomprehensible; and, however, for the sake of us, who are carnal and completely unable to look at His pure and unveiled Divinity, He closed Himself behind the veil of human flesh and body. We, due to our countless sins and grave delusions (or: errors), having become unworthy of contemplating these things, began to be cut off from coming there and being present there, but, as forced and inexcusable, we were forced to stay at home. Of course, not bound by any material bonds, but possessed and shackled by fear of the Saracens, and by grief, as if by some kind of storm, agitated by grief, truly worthy of our unfortunate situation, but not worthy of the benefits that we, in a different situation, were destined for. since, if our unfortunate situation were worthy of these blessings, then, of course, we, too, who are near these places (because we do not contemplate them from somewhere far away) 3, together with the shepherds we would form choirs (choirs), and together with the wise men we would bring gifts to God, and together with the Angels we would sing this song: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men.” favor." Of course, we are allowed to repeat these voices and use this place (i.e., the Jerusalem shrines) without restriction; but we are not allowed to see either the manger itself or this cave, sublime and heavenly, as unworthy of looking at them. Indeed, we now imitate the head of our human race and forefather, Adam, who was unfortunately deprived of residence in paradise. Because, due to the ungodly sins and falls that we commit many times with a bad and perverse disposition of mind, we endure the same difficult circumstances as he once did, and, one might say, even much more difficult circumstances than he did. Because, as he, having been deprived of the pleasures of paradise and becoming an exile, having been expelled from there, by the gravest and irrevocable sentence of God, nevertheless had before his eyes the Garden of Eden (because he lived opposite him) 4, although he could not return to it (because God, as established a fiery rotating sword, did not allow entry into this place, and he himself - due to the sin of treachery he committed - deprived him of this most desired good, so He determined that he should have it before his eyes) 5 ; so we today suffer the same: because while the city of Bethlehem, which received God, is in our neighborhood, however, we are not allowed to go there, and not for the reason that we see that flaming and rotating sword, which did not allow entry into paradise, but because we are afraid of the fierce and truly barbaric and truly full of all cruelty sword of the Saracens. Because this formidable sword, throwing lightning and breathing murder and threat, makes this blessed vision inaccessible to us, and forces us to remain at home without further advancement. But let the Hagaryan dagger now throw lightning, like the sword that once guarded the gates of heaven, however, if we wish, i.e. - if, having turned, we - through diligence in business and in a good spiritual dispensation, as it was before - seek God, who was born for us (today in the flesh), then this sword will soon be removed and will not hinder us 6. If, I say, we, through repentance, extinguish the flame of sins, and we reverently honor God, the greatest, the good, born for us and in our image, and stop doing things that are hateful to Him, then He will easily stop being angry with us. But how do we dare to show our face to God, who have nothing that could bring as gifts to Him: neither the fruitfulness of the soul, nor the chastity of the body? How is it that we are not afraid to approach Him, not having at all the fragrance of deeds known to be pleasing and pleasing to Him? Especially when we do not know that the stench of evil deeds is very hateful to Him? I am afraid and overcome with trepidation, so that while it seems that we have the Orthodox faith, we would not happen to be far from the deeds that it requires of us: so that if we have only this one, i.e. - not combined with decent deeds and deprived of the good deeds accompanying it - it would not have happened that we would have been allowed to perish. Because if zealous faith, devoid of deeds of fragrant deeds, as James the Brother of the Lord, who was once the Shepherd of this flock, says, is dead (James 2:17), then how can we stay on the right path when we do not care to decorate our faith with deeds, as if they were not needed? and do we not arm our souls with powerful wings of works of mercy? As a result, dear brethren of my soul, I ask you, let us unite good deeds with faith, so that, due to the lack of deeds that are necessary for this, we do not make it weak (we do not weaken its significance); but let it be this: just as, thanks to faith, we become strong and strong (because, protected and preserved by the grace of Christ, we have not shaken it in anything) 7 , so with good deeds we will also strengthen it, and Christ Himself, Who greatly rejoices in our good deeds, we will console us with our faith along with our deeds no little, and gain His most merciful disposition towards us. Because He Himself, as the Lawgiver, clearly proclaimed these commandments: “Not everyone who says to Me: Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but do the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). And again: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). And also: “You are my friends by nature, and whatever you do, I command you” (John 15:14). So, if we do His fatherly will and steadfastly adhere to the true and Orthodox faith, then we will also remove the Ismail sword without much difficulty: and we will turn the Saracen dagger away from us; and we will break the siege created by the Hagarians 8, and soon we will again see divine Bethlehem and contemplate its shrines and see with the mental eyes of Christ, the Creator of these wonderful deeds; and with a great voice we will sing together with the Angels this doxology: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men,” and at the same time we will primarily demonstrate activities pleasing to Christ. Because He greatly favors those things that are designed to promote and bring about the work of our salvation. And is it really possible that, despite the fact that He is God’s Word and was eternally born from the eternal Father, He dwelled for us in the immaculate womb of the Virgin Mother? And did he receive true flesh in Her and from Her? - Yes, He received from Her flesh, not previously created and existing, with which He was united by indissoluble bonds; but (accepted flesh) which received its existence together with Him and is contained in the Word Himself. Because its existence and formation exactly went hand in hand with its composition and occurred at the same time. God's Word in hypostasis also united with Himself this flesh, endowed with the spirit of rational life, as that bright Light, Lev 9, and the wisest Cyril, that great preacher of heavenly teaching, teaches this in the highest degree clearly and in accordance with true piety and faith 10. Because Christ, for the sake of our salvation, having become like us in everything and becoming like us, with the exception of His conception (because for His birth He did not need the assistance of man), 11 received and was embraced by the womb of the Virgin, and according to the custom of people, by His mercy, deigned to come into the world, and according to the most revealed judgment and sign of His omnipotent Divinity, the Virgin, from Whom He was born, He preserved whole and immaculate, and He Himself, nevertheless, openly showed Her as the Mother of God. But the Virgin Herself, for Her part, presented clear evidence of His ineffable Divinity, namely: she showed proof to the whole world that He is the true God and the true Son of God, of the same being and nature with the Father, although from the side of those whose eyes He met, He appeared to be similar to us, only a man. It should be said here that the Son shines with His two natures: one is Divine, the other is human; and yet He is by no means divisible; because there remains one Christ, and one Son, alien to any change, confusion, dissection and division. And being rich and, together with the kingdom, possessing power over everyone, didn’t He clothe us with our poverty in order to clothe us, the poor, with His help, in immortality? And being uncreated, or better yet, the Creator and Creator of all creation, did He not wish to be numbered among the creatures, in order to make us partakers of His uncreated nature? And being completely uninvolved in any matter, corporeality and materiality, is this not why He had the intention of becoming flesh and body, in order to make us higher than these, prone to fall (or: corruptible) 12 and perishable, body and flesh, and to clothe our body with incorruptibility, and to bestow our flesh with immortality? And according to His Divinity, being beyond description by any boundaries, is it not for this reason that He accepted for Himself flesh limited by His weakness, in order to open for us the entrance to His infinite Kingdom? And being free from all sin, and holy and impeccable in everything, “for you did not commit sin, but flattery was found in His mouth” (Is. 53:9), was it not for our sake that He was numbered with sinners, and was it not for our sake that He was born in the likeness of sinful flesh? - Because He, who knew no sin, in whom there can be no sin, the Father, for our sake, made Him to be sin (2 Cor. 5:21), so that through flesh, not subject to any sin, He could cancel the condemnation of sin, and redeem us sinners from the defilement acquired as a result of sins. And being the Son and free and true Master, did He not choose to be counted among slaves, in order to adorn (or provide) us with the gift of freedom and present us to God the Father as sons? - Because thanks to Him we have acquired the title and being the sons of the Most High. However, we received this gift of adoption not in the sense that we acquired the Divine nature, but by grace we became children of God. And being eternal and impassive and immortal, did He not put on our suffering and mortal flesh, in order to free and restore us from destruction and all the necessity of suffering, and from the bonds of death and the manifold chains that entangled us? And didn’t He grant all this, and did He not fulfill and accomplish all this in a divine way? - Of course, yes. Because God cannot fail to achieve the goal He has set. Because how could it be possible to think that God would leave His desire unfulfilled? Or would there be someone who could, strenuously fighting against it, oppose His will to His omnipotent and effective will? We celebrate this great God, brethren, today as a holiday, although we do it with great sorrow: because we have the place where God the Word and the Lord appeared during His indescribable Nativity, close to us, and yet we cannot go there. Of course, what happened to us happened to the divine Moses. - Because he, having climbed a high mountain, surveyed the Promised Land with his own eyes and longed to enter it; but because before he was able to draw a stream of water out of the stone with a blow of his staff, he did not bless God, he was by no means allowed to enter there 13. And he, thus deprived of a very desirable land and exhausted by sadness, went from there to God. And we, who endure (or: experience) something not unlike this, what will we do? - Because, although we experience joy regarding the heavenly gifts, and we rejoice and piously enjoy the holiday, and seem to draw unceasing joy, we also grieve and are quite worried, seeing that we are not allowed to see the very place up close, and hold a festive meeting where the true Light shone, where true Life flourished, where, finally, the Source of all nations and graces (mercies), appearing within sight of form, enlightens and restores all who look at Him with faith and piety, and abundantly saturates them with heavenly joy; and he gives them such wealth that it never runs out or decreases; and makes it so that, not without a feeling of joy and pleasure, they sing together with the Angels, shepherds and wise men: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace. there is good will in men." To such an unfortunate extent have we today become like the forefather of our race, Adam, and no less - the Divine Moses; but we also, and especially precisely, imitate the fate of David our father: because, one might say, we are currently experiencing the same difficulties and the same obstacles that he once experienced. Because David, taken by God to the kingdom, when he was besieged on all sides by the army of the Philistines, suffered at that time from spiritual thirst - as, one might say, we are suffering now - thirsting and yearning for the saving water from the reservoir that was in Bethlehem, which he wanted to drink. The water to which he mysteriously strove was alive and revived everyone who drank from it with divine power. “If only you knew,” said the Samaritan Christ, the Source of never-failing life, “and whoever is saying to you: give me something to drink, you would ask Him, and give you living water... Everyone who drinks from this water will thirst again: but whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will not thirst forever: but the water that I will give you will never thirst.” him, there will be in him a fountain of water flowing into an everlasting belly” (John 4:10–14). This sacred reservoir (in Bethlehem) prefigured the Sacred Virgin, who was about to conceive and give birth to God. Because what was happening then was a prophecy about Christ and His image, Who is the Living Water, pouring out for everyone, and about the mysterious and spiritual Font 14, Which, having received this Water, never becoming scarce, in the womb, gave birth to the world, i.e. - this was a prophecy about the Immaculate Virgin. King David especially desired and strenuously strove to see this reservoir and water, wanting to see them with both spiritual and physical eyes: first, as a prophet illuminated by the Spirit; and the second, as the most perfect righteous person. So, languishing with this inner desire, he said: “Oh, who will give me water from the trench at the gates of Bethlehem?” (2 Samuel 23:15). It should be noted here to what extent we are now becoming like those who once strongly desired to see Christ, both with spiritual and physical eyes. Pointing to this desire of the ancients, the Lord Christ, This Living Water, in one place proclaims: “Many prophets and righteous women desired to see what you see, and did not see, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear” (Matthew 13:17). This also applies to what the Apostle Peter writes about this, addressing those who have believed in Christ the Savior: “Having not seen Him,” he says, “love Him, and now not looking at the Worthless One, but believing, you rejoice with unspeakable and glorified joy: accepting the end of your faith, the salvation of souls: the prophets have sought and experienced the salvation of Him, who prophesied about your grace, testing, in what or at what time the Spirit of Christ appeared in them, first testifying to Christ’s passions, and to the glories even after this: to whom it was revealed, as not to them, but to us, this servant, even now preached to you by those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, the angels desire to enter into this.” ( 1 Peter 1:8–12). So, if the righteous and prophets and angels wished and wish to see the Nativity of Christ and the place where His beloved Birth took place, then what is surprising if we, the outcasts and the least, who are participants in the same faith and piety, the Orthodox faith, which we have inherited, fervently desire this? But what reason prevented the divine David, despite the fact that he was a native of Bethlehem and was born there and headed God-bearing Bethlehem, to be deprived of water from the Bethlehem reservoir, which he so coveted and for which he languished with thirst to such an extent? - Of course, the same as we have now: because he, like us now, out of fear of enemies, was deprived of the opportunity to reach sacred Bethlehem and draw its coveted water. What could be sadder for a person than to have a desired good before his eyes, and at the same time not be able to enjoy the desired object; since in those days, as now, Bethlehem was besieged by a detachment of the Philistines, this prevented and did not allow him to approach divine Bethlehem, just as it hinders and does not allow us, who in our unfortunate situation (orig. - in this storm) we are compared with David, namely: having been deprived of that good, so blessed and desired (which, truly, there is nothing that could be happier, more honest and more enjoyable for us) 15. But, behold, he, wanting to drink water from the Bethlehem reservoir, however, due to the evil detachment of the Philistines, who then kept Bethlehem under siege, which has always been the subject of the highest praises, at that time was not able to arrive in that God-bearing city; nevertheless, he received the water he desired, if he really wanted to drink material (and not spiritual) water from this reservoir. Because the three strongest of his bodyguards and the bravest warriors, having learned about the desire of the king and hearing him himself, not without just cause, saying: “Oh, who will give me water from the trench, which is at the gates of Bethlehem?” - believing that he was possessed by the desire to drink water, quenching bodily thirst, as can be assumed and said, - being very ready to die for his sake, they took the obvious risk of losing their lives, wanting to prove to the king the strength of their spirit and invincible valor, as well as, of course, their exceptional and amazing devotion to the king, and also wanting to show their unshakable zeal and love for his beneficial words. If, in truth: “Greater than this love,” says the Savior, “no one can have, but whoever lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13), then the Scripture tells that: “Three mighty forces broke up the foreign army, and drew water from the den of Bethlehem, which was also at the gate: and they took it and came to David” ( 2 Samuel 23:16). Now pay attention to David's piety and to the queen of all virtues - the gift of prudence inherent in him 16. Because, as the history of the kings tells, he did not want to drink the water that was brought, but poured it out as a sacrifice to the Lord, saying: “Be merciful to me, Lord, to do this, should the imam drink the blood of the men who went in their souls?” (2 Samuel 23:17). So, this husband, of course, as inspired from Above, did not want to drink this water. Why didn't you want to? - Because, being enlightened by prophetic light, he foresaw in advance that the Jews would deny faith to That Living and Life-giving Water, which had in the flesh to arise from Bethlehem and be born from the Virgin Spring and come into the world, i.e. - To Christ. So, as the most holy seer, by this act he figuratively represented the treachery of the Jews. For this reason, I repeat, this divine man did not want to draw the water brought for himself, because by this he prefigured the insane and criminal Jews who were in no way able to believe - in their own death and destruction - the preaching of Christ, and he, of course, foresaw this. And we, who accept Christ the Savior with gratitude, and are adorned with the Orthodox faith, and turn away from the worthy curse of the unbelief of the Jews, and are in every possible way disgusted with their complete lies and disgusting recklessness, we most earnestly desire to come to sacred Bethlehem, and the divine font, “which is at the gates,” which mysteriously designates the Virgin Mary (because She exuded “Living Water”, Which gives life to the world) 17 contemplate with spiritual eyes, and with attention fix your gaze on the Salvation, Which appeared in It, i.e. - on Christ, Who today raised up human birth from Her (because He is our Salvation, and Life and Redemption) 18, and yet, we are by no means able to come there. We are, indeed, possessed by a strong desire, and we are equally tormented by thirst, just as King David was tormented by thirst in his time; and, however, as it is told about David, we are completely deprived of the opportunity - due to fear of the Saracens - not only to drink 19 this water, but even by the very sight of it to delight our soul and gaze. Because the army of the wicked Hagarians, like the Philistines once, equally now, as was said, holds in its hands and besieges bright Bethlehem, and does not at all allow passage to it. Because if anyone dared to approach the most divine and most desired Bethlehem for us, he would be in danger of death and destruction. Therefore, inside the closed gates of this city (Jerusalem), and also being installed in this divine church of the Mother of God, we solemnly celebrate this holiday of the year and celebrate and do this not without sorrow: and therefore I exhort you, beloved about Christ our God, I ask and implore... 20 The publisher of this Latin translation reports: “In the Greek codex, which I used, there is missing an epilogue to this sermon, which, based on the size of the missing sheet, I do not think would exceed three or four paragraphs.” Here the word “EUCHBRUTO” (Ecquis euchObruto illo alimento tanquam divinis dapibus, divinaque charitate prorsus indigno abjecto, in illius divinitati se non oblectet? – PG, t. 87/3, col. 3204cd. Ming may have a typo: one word instead of two – eucho bruto – “every beast"). We did not find this word in any code of the Latin language, nor in the multi-volume “THESAURUS LINGUAE LΑΤΙΝΑΕ”, nor in the codes of the medieval Latin language, nor in the Latin language of the Western Fathers. Combining the Greek language with Latin, I assume that this word means nutritious, wholesome food. Parentheses in the original Refer to Bethlehem, which is approximately 6 miles south of Jerusalem The translation is somewhat loose. The place here is not clear to me. "AGARINORUM ARCAM CONFRINGEMUS". The word "ARCA" has many meanings. It can be understood as “the power of the Hagarians”, and as their “piety”, etc. Even this could mean some kind of their altar (which, however, is doubtful), or some kind of their arch. But, deriving this word directly from “ARCEO,” I translated this word as “siege,” following the history of the moment when St. Sophronius pointed to the siege of Jerusalem by the Arabs, which prevented pious pilgrims from going to Bethlehem for the Nativity of Christ, to the cave where the Savior was born and to the manger in which He reclined. The word “ARCA” may also mean a certain cistern that the Arabs built for themselves near Bethlehem, but history has not preserved any data about this, and such a possibility seems doubtful. This refers to St. Leo, the Pope of Rome, who, in his letter to Flavian, Archbishop of Constantinople, beautifully and sublimely teaches about the Incarnation of Christ. This refers to St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, the great Father of the Church, who strenuously fought against the heresy of Nestorius, presided over the Third Ecumenical Council and established Holy Orthodoxy with his teaching. For the history of this, see Numbers, chapter 20 and Deuteronomy, chapter 34. “Font” is a word meaning “cistern” in Church Slavonic. See G. Dyachenko Complete Church Slavonic Dictionary Moscow 1899, vol. 1, p. 276. The gift of prudence, that is, the gift of correct judgment about one’s thoughts and intentions, as well as the general sharp distinction between what is good and useful, and between what is harmful and comes from the evil one, was highly valued as the highest gift for the ascetic. Parentheses in the original Another translation of this passage can be proposed: “because She poured out the Living Water, which gives Life, to the world.” In lat. stands “VIDERE”, (videre autem aquam, ut decantatus ille David,) but I think, judging by the further text, that there is a typo here, and “BIBERE” follows, and in this sense, I translated the text. I ask theologians, if they have the opportunity to have the Greek text, to correct if I made a mistake. Sancti Sophronii Hierosolymitani. "Orationes". Oratio I. S. Sophronii archiepiscopi Hierosolymitani, in Christi Servatoris natalitia, quæ tum in Dominicam diem inciderant. Oratio. Migne P G t 87/3, col. 3201–3212.