In his Christmas encyclical, Bishop Mihail of Australia and New Zealand explains that the fast we conclude on the feast of the Nativity of our Lord allows us to receive the Infant Jesus, making Him a dwelling place in our hearts and souls.
“Sanctifying our soul and body through repentance, through reading the Holy Scriptures, through the Mystery of Confession, through partaking of the Body and Blood of the Lord Christ, through almsgiving and fulfilling the commandments, we can receive saving grace and unite with Him for eternity.”
“Knowing these truths revealed to the world by the Son of God, let us love God the Father, who created us, God the Son, who was born for our salvation, and God the Holy Spirit, who guides our life, and let us pray for peace in the whole world,” added His Grace Bishop Mihail.
God Pours His Love into the World
“Through the coming of the Saviour into the world, God pours His love into the world. Jesus Christ our Lord, through His teaching, has taught us to live in Truth and has shown us the Way we are called to follow to attain the Kingdom of Heaven or Eternal Life.”
“We know that the Holy Fathers of our Church emphasize in their writings the idea of the deification of the faithful man since as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ, becoming God’s household, participating in eternal, divine bliss,” continued the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Australia and New Zealand.
“Therefore, Christians partake in the divine nature. They become Christophers – carriers of Christ, or pneumatophores – in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, or they become theophores – carriers of God.”
Confession of Faith
“In the Early Church, one of the conditions for receiving the Sacrament of Baptism and membership in the Christian Church was the confession of the name of Jesus of Nazareth,” His Grace recalled.
“The Hebrew word Messiah, meaning God’s Anointed, has its Greek equivalent in Christ – not a personal name but a title referring to the divine origin and mission of Jesus. By this, Jesus the Messiah, or the Anointed One, has the mission to bring peace between the chosen people and God the Father and mediate the world’s salvation.”
“The Messiahship of Lord Jesus is part of the Church’s confession of faith, a confession that we, today’s Christians, must also make, each in word and deed,” emphasized the hierarch.
“Our Orthodox Church makes this confession continually, and at the feast of the Nativity of the Lord, it sings: Christ is born, glorify Him; Christ from heaven, meet Him; Christ on earth, rise up. Sing to the Lord all the earth! (Christmas Katavasia)”
News of Spiritual Peace
“At this feast, children with the star and the icon of the Nativity announce the peace brought to the world through the birth of the Savior, and with joy, they sing traditional carols,” adds the Bishop of Australia and New Zealand.
“Today, the bells of the churches proclaim the Birth of the Lord and call all Christians to prayer to make room for the Lord and to receive in their hearts the holy peace, the light of the guiding star, and the joy of the birth of the Infant Jesus.”
“Let us live in love and peace with all people. Let us love the Church founded by Christ our Lord, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail (Matthew 16:18). Let us participate humbly and without scandal in the Divine Liturgy, from beginning to end, to receive in our hearts the blessing, the divine grace, and the peace of the Lord poured out over His Church,” the hierarch urged the faithful.
“Thus, with righteous faith and good deeds, with a pure heart, like the angels, let us praise God and say: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill among men (Luke 2:14).”
Photo: Basilica.ro Files / Mircea Florescu
