The Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ or Christmas shows God’s humble and merciful love for all humankind. The Son of the boundless and immortal God becomes a mortal human being, in order to give eternal life to humans.
At the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, the angels in heaven glorified God and called humans to live on earth in peace and goodwill. The shepherds from Bethlehem joyfully received Infant Jesus, and the Magi from the East brought Him gifts of great price as to a King: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
That is why children and young people herald today about the Nativity of the Lord, as angels did once, through beautiful songs, called carols, while priests and deacons, like the shepherds in Bethlehem, preach the Nativity of the Lord by carrying His icon to people’s homes, and while all merciful and noble-hearted people, like the Magi from the East, offer gifts to children and all needy persons.
Therefore, the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord calls us to offer to people we encounter love from Christ’s love, peace and joy, light and hope, especially to the sick and lonely, to the poor and helpless people.
Furthermore, the feast of Christmas calls us to remember, through prayer and signs of appreciation, the Romanians around the borders of Romania and from the Romanian diaspora. Let us urge all Romanians living in faraway countries and are missing their Country and Nation to come back home.
Let us also pray during these days for those who suffer because of war, persecutions and violence in different parts of the world, so that Christ – the Lord of Peace help them not to lose the hope of peace and salvation.
On the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the New Year 2017, and of the Theophany of the Lord, we address to you wishes of good health and salvation, peace and joy, along with the traditional greeting: Many years to come!
† DANIEL
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
