Nativity Epistle of Archbishop Vladimir

Beloved in Christ fathers, brothers and sisters!
 

I greet you with the great feast of the Nativity of Christ!

All Orthodox hearts rejoice at the singing of Christ is born because this feast is the revelation of a great mercy of God to mankind.
 

The entire history of mankind is revealed in two major occurrences – the fall into sin and redemption. The first is the work of man, the second the work of God's Word. God appeared in the flesh (1 Tim 3-16) The word became flesh, and dwelt among us in the fullness of grace and truth (John 1-14). As the holy Apostles bear witness, the Sun of righteousness is revealed, enlightening the whole of creation with His Divine Light through which we are given light and wisdom that we may know him that is true, even in his son Jesus Christ (1 John 5-20).

 

Herod as well recognized the true God, wishing to kill the God-child Christ, unsuccessful in his desire, meeting a horrible end to his own life. What drove Herod to such an abnormal harshness so as to murder fourteen thousand innocents? What passions blinded him, that in his blindness he spilled so much innocent blood?

 

Besides such love of power and love of glory, besides extraordinary ferocity and cruelty is great suspicion. We find an explanation of this in the holy Gospel, When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the male children in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under(Matt 2-16).

 

 

Herod saw himself mocked by the Magi, resulting in such hatred. But did the Magi really wish to spite Herod as he suspected? No, as explained in the Gospel, And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route (Matt 2-12).

 

The teacher of Christian piety Abba Dorotheos explains that suspicion is a horrible illness of the soul. The holy fathers tell us to never accept any ill suspicions of our brother, rather to always search out good not bad. Let us attentively, with all our strength resist this soul destroying passion of Herod, a machination of this fallen world not of Christ’s Church.

 

For us Christians there is no other path than humility, always coupled with examining and reproaching oneself, leading the soul to true repentance, cleansing it from sin and guiding it to the crown of Christian life – the acquisition of the Holy Spirit as related by St Seraphim of Sarov.

 

A shining example of the fruits of humility and meekness, especially in these days is given us by St. Roman the sweet-singer who while uneducated and mocked by his brethren never became wrathful and by divine intercession of the Mother of God was given the gift of learning – eventually ascending the Cliros on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, in the great Church of the Wisdom of Sophia and sang forth his wondrous Kontakion, Today the Virgin giveth birth.

 

This great virtue of humility is also taught to us in the feast of the Nativity itself. As said by St. Isaac the Syrian, humility is the cloak of Godliness in which was clothed the God-child Christ the Word communicating to us in the flesh. For this reason we will follow the example of humility given us by Christ the incarnate Son of God, and by His great help put off the cloak of the old man and clothe ourselves with the cloak of humility and salvation, for only then can we inherit the true peace and joy of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14-17). God, born of the Virgin enlighten and help us!

 

Amen.