THE ABSENCE OF OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR FROM THE CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS

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

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

THE ABSENCE OF OUR LORD, GOD, AND SAVIOR FROM
THE CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS

Where is Christ in today’s celebration of Christmas? What happened to Him? Can there be Christmas without Christ? The answer of course is unequivocally NO!

Christians throughout the centuries celebrate the incarnation of the Logos/Word for it is through His incarnation that we attain our salvation. Saint Athanasios the Great writes, "God became man in order to make man God." This is why Christians celebrate Christougenna, His Birth gloriously and with solemnity.

However, over time the celebration of Christmas has been seized by greedy men who have made every attempt to strip Christ completely from the commemoration of His birth and to commercialize it. It is a frontal attack on our Lord and Christianity itself. Sadly, however, contemporary Christians have not voiced objection or demonstrated against it. Why is that? Why has this been allowed to continue without any open protest?

The Holy Day of Chrstmas for centuries has been celebrated in our Churches, and Christian homes and Christian countries for so God sent His Only-begotten Son to save us. Christ’s divine message is one of love, of peace, of reconciliation, of forgiveness, of restoration, and of theosis (deification). It is this Divine message of our Savior Jesus Christ, that the commercialization threatens to undermine, to damage, to dilute and to render ineffectual. This is conducted systematically over many years by evil forces and the enemies of Christianity.

We, as Christians, especially Orthodox Christians must vehemently object and outright condemn it as anti- christian. We view the commercialization of Christmas with serious concern, seeing it a major distraction from the Holy Feast’s spiritual core and essence-the Holy Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ-focusing on secular stories and myths such as Santa Claus, elves, reindeer, etc. Also, of viewing Christmas as a time of gluttony, drinking, parties, and travel.

In our Holy Orthodox Tradition the preparation for the celebration of the Birth of Christ begins annually on November 15th and ends on December 24th (Christmas Eve). It is a time of fasting, of unceasing prayer, of repentance, of worship, of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ (Holy Eucharist). It is a special time of spiritual renewal, rededication, and not simply an exchange of gifts and family gatherings. No Orthodox Christian must lose sight or the spiritual focus that Christmas is about celebrating the divine Incarnation (God becoming man) , a profound mystery, not an ordinary holiday and gift-giving. All these distractions obscure Christ’s birth and God’s plan for the salvation of mankind.

Now more than ever before, our Lord’s Divine and Salvific message must resound and must be clear throughout the world "Christ Jesus Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8). This passage is a hymn already in use in the Church, quoted here by Saint Paul because it calls us to ponder the humility of Christ, a truth necessary for suffering Christians to understand and live out. The passage has been incorporated into many hymns of the Orthodox Church. Christ is He Who, being in "the form of God," is also in the "form of a bondservant," in our likeness, and is voluntarily subject to death. He who has died, God has exalted and given the name "Lord," a name which God the Son shares with God the Father from all eternity.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ appears on earth as a priceless Gift to humanity from our Creator. None of us are worthy of it and can never repay God His most precious Gift. How does a Christian respond to God’s agape and generosity? The true Christian can only respond only one way, with "a contrite and humble heart." We have not anything to give. In the Divine Liturgy the officiating priest as he pronounces the words: "we offer Thee Thine own from Thine own" he "elevates" the Holy Gifts, that is with his forearms crossed he raises the Holy Gifts high and makes the sign of the Cross over the Holy Table. The fact of the matter is that we have nothing of our own to offer God: "Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights" (James 1:7) Everything we have, we have received from God. Therefore, it would be incorrect to say that the bread and wine we offer to God are "our gifts," or gifts of our own labor.

Permitting the commercialization, consumerism,, or/and the abduction and distortion of Christmas, our Christian tradition and Faith is unthinkable and unacceptable. I would even go as far as saying that powers attempt to convince the public, including Christians, that Christmas is all about fun, food and shopping. To a great extent they have succeeded in this effort through the media, i.e., Television, movies, commercials, and advertising of all kinds, truly mocking Christ and the celebration of His birth. Nothing on T.V. makes any kind of reference to the authentic meaning of Christmas.

However, it is up to the individual Christian to celebrate the Birth of our Lord, God and Savior with reverence, prayerfully, and the divine services of our Church. No power on earth can stop the believer from holding the holy days undefiled and with solemnity and piety. Even under persecution Orthodox Christian would worship secretly in forests, on mountain tops, in deserts and catacombs. Christian children must be protected from the influences of society and non-Christians and be taught the true meaning of all Christian Holy Days respectfully and with dignity.

May we all celebrate the Birth of our Savior Jesus Christ with faith, love and hope. Let us not forget that Christmas is a time of rejoicing and gladness. "Christ is born, glorify Him. Christ is from heaven, go to meet Him. Christ is on earth, be ye lifted up. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing out with gladness, all ye people. For He is glorified." (First Ode of the Christmas Canon).

A VERY, VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

_____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in the Holy Incarnation of our Lord, God and Savior,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George