On the Saving Nativity According to the Flesh Of our Lord and God and Savior JESUS CHRIST

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

On the Saving Nativity According to the Flesh Of our
Lord, and God, and Savior JESUS CHRIST.
By Saint Gregory Palamas

THIS IS THE FESTIVAL of the virgin birth! Our address must be exalted therefore in accordance with the Greatness of the Feast, and enters into the mystery, as far as this is accessible and permissible, and time allows, that something of its inner power might be revealed even to us… Nothing done by God from the beginning of time was more beneficial to all or more divine than Christ’s Nativity which we celebrate today.

The Pre-eternal and uncircumcised and Almighty Logos/Word is now born according to the flesh, WITHOUT HOME, WITHOUT SHELTER, WITHOUT DWELLING, AND PLACED AS A BABE IN THE MANGER, SEEN BY MEN’S EYES, TOUCHED BY THEIR HANDS, AND WRAPPED IN LAYERS OF SWADDLING BANDS. He is not a spiritual creature coming into being after previously not existing; nor flesh which is brought to birth but will soon perish; nor flesh and mind united to form a rational creature, but GOD and flesh mingled unconfusedly by the divine Mind to form the existence of one THEANDRIC HYPOSTASIS, who entered the Virgin’s womb for a time. By the good pleasure of the Father and the cooperation of the Spirit, the Logos/Word who transcended being came into being in this womb and by means of it, and now He is delivered from it He and born as an infant, not losing but preserving the signs of virginity. HE IS BORN WITHOUT SUFFERING, AS HE WAS CONCEIVED WITHOUT PASSION, for as His mother was shown to be above the pleasure of passion when she conceived, so she is above grievous pains when she gives birth. "Before the pain of travail came upon her, she escaped it," as Isaiah says [cf. Isaiah 66:7].

"God, thy God," says, "hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" (Psalm 45:7). The same one IS BOTH PERFECT GOD AND PERFECT MAN; THE SAME GOD IS BOTH THE ONE WHO ANOINTS AND IS ANOINTED. For it says, "God, thy God hath anointed thee." It is as man that the Logos/Word from God the Father is anointed, and He is anointed with the Co-eternal Spirit Who is of one nature with Him." "…The very Logos/Word of God from God emptied Himself in an indescribable way came down from on high to the lowest state of man’s nature, and indissolubly linked it with Himself, and IN HUMBLING HIMSELF AND BECOMING POOR LIKE US, HE RAISED ON HIGH THE THINGS BELOW, OR RATHER, HE GATHERED BOTH THINGS INTO ONE, MINGLING HUMANITY WITH DIVINITY AND BY SO DOING HE TAUGHT EVERYONE THAT HUMILITY IS THE ROAD WHICH LEADS UPWARDS, SETTING FORTH TODAY HIMSELF AS AN EXAMPLE BEFORE MEN AND HOLY ANGELS ALIKE.

"Because of this, the Angels, now possess steadfastness, having learned in a practical way from the Master THAT THE WAY TO BE EXALTED AND TO RESEMBLE HIM IS NOT ARROGANCE BUT HUMILITY. Because of this, men are easily set right, as they recognize HUMILITY AS THE ROAD BY WHICH THEY ARE RECALLED. Because of this, the PRINCE OF EVIL, who is conceit itself, has been PUT TO SHAME AND OVERTHROWN…Now that Christ has been born, the devil IS TRAMPLED DOWN BY THOSE WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY UNDER HIS FEET, WHO ARE NO LONGER PRESUMPTUOUS, AS THE DESTROYER ADVISED, BUT IDENTIFY WITH THE LOWLY (cf. Romans 12:16), AS THE SAVIOR TAUGHT THROUGH HIS DEEDS, AND WIN HEAVENLY EXALTATION THROUGH HUMILITY.

"But what is the cause of this praise from men and Angels together and this much-extolled GOOD NEWS which so gladdens the shepherds and all men? "Behold", it says, "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" [Luke 2:10).  What does this mean, and what is this universal joy?  Listen to the Gospel song to the end and you will understand, "PEACE," IT SAYS, "GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN" (Luke 2:14).  For God, Who was angry with the human race and subjected it to terrible curses, HAS COME IN THE FLESH, GRANTING HIS PEACE AND RECONCILING THEM TO THE HEAVENLY Father.  Behold, says the hymn, He HAS NOT BEEN BORN FOR US ANGELS, THOUGH NOW THAT WE SEE HIM ON EARTH WE EXTOL HIM AS WE DO IN HEAVEN, BUT FOR YOU MEN, THAT IS TO SAY, FOR YOUR SAKE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR NATURE A SAVIOR IS BORN, CHRIST THE LORD, IN THE CITY OF DAVID.