Bishop Vladimir's Nativity Epistle

I wholeheartedly greet all of you with the radiant Feast of Christ's Nativity!

 At one time, Saint Gregory the Theologian while in the church of Saint Anastasia in Constantinople being God-inspired exclaimed: "Christ is born-glorify Him, Christ is from the heavens-look for Him, Christ is on the earth-raise yourself...". Today we can only imagine what spiritual happiness enveloped the hearts of the listeners, those who first heard these words, which later became a true anthem of the Feast of Christ's Nativity.

 This day is a day of radiant festivity, a day of blessedness and of unspeakable gift. At the same time- this is a terrifying, most glorious mystery: He who is clothed in light as a garment is now wrapped in perishable swaddling clothes in order to clothe the human race in incorrupt clothing; a strong God, a Sovereign comes down to earth so that we may rise from the earth to heaven. The Ruler of Angels and Archangels takes on the sight of a slave so that we may be freed from "the hostile work" and joined with the angelic world. The Son of God becomes the son of the Virgin to give people a sonship with God; The Wealthiest is clothed in poverty so that we become enriched with His Divinity; the All-High and the All-Mighty humbles his greatness so that we can be exalted in His glory. Heaven united with the earth, Divinity with humanity. The Eternal God is humbled to a slave's appearance and became a young Child in order to save the human race, renew His creation and to crown it with all types of kindness.

 In order for us to be worthy of this great inheritance, eternal salvation, prepared by the Lord for those who love Him, let us take an example from Him, the example of His Divine humility. The Lord Himself commands us: "Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matt 11, 29).

 You see, the Lord came, first of all, in order to give rebirth to man's sinful soul, infuse it with a new heavenly breath, unite it with Himself, so that it may, strengthened and nourished by Christ's spirit, could as fruitful as a grape branch on a kind vine. Because of this it is opened to each one of us the necessity, first of all, of an internal and personal renewal and transfiguration of our soul, through an active connection with Christ for His sake. That can only be accomplished in unity with Christ an His Holy Church and only through humility. "God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5, 5).

 So, what is humility but not that heavenly beginning when the will of God replaces in the hearts of men their own sinful will. So let us hurry dear fathers, brothers and sisters, not being enticed by any temptations of this corrupt world, to fulfill the All-Holy will of God. In this is the only true guarantee of our eternal salvation.

 With our minds, let us fall down at the Divine feet of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and having venerated Him, as the magi did at one time and from the bottom of our hearts proclaim: " O God, born from a Virgin, have mercy on us!"