Homily on the Sunday before Nativity
Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 33-40; Matthew 1:1-25
In just a few short days, we will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. One thing that may seem obvious to you is that in the Orthodox Church, the vigil is celebrated on the 6th of January—13 days later than the date assigned to Christmas in the secular and religious calendar of the West.
There is a reason for this: the Orthodox Church follows the Julian Calendar to calculate the dates of important seasons and feasts in the life of the Church. This calendar was prescribed for Church use at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. Therefore, until another ecumenical council mandates a change, we cannot alter the calendar. For a bishop or patriarch to unilaterally change the calendar would be an overstep of their authority, as a number of Patriarchates have done in the early years of the 20th Century.
However, in the 1500s, Pope Gregory of Rome took it upon himself to ignore this rule and instituted a new calendar, which came into effect in October 1582 for groups under his control. Needless to say, this was against accepted convention for making important decisions that affect multiple churches. This act caused many issues in the relationship between the Orthodox Churches and groups in the West.
Yet one of the benefits of celebrating the Feast of the Holy Nativity on the traditional date is that it allows us to focus on the true meaning of the Feast, free from the distractions that obscure its significance around the 25th of December. The commercial focus on Santa Claus and the endless desire to buy the "best" gifts gives way to the simplicity of the birth of a child in a humble cave.
The true beauty of this feast is that it reveals the true nature of God. Gone is the image of a tyrant seeking only to condemn, and in its place is the epiphany that God desires the salvation of all His creation.
Though illuminated by a star, which reveals His divinity, the nature of His incarnation has proved to be a great stumbling block to those who choose not to believe for what ever reason (1 Corinthians 1:18). Although divine, He took on our fallen nature and united it with His Divine nature. Two natures, perfectly united in the God-man, stand as a sign of His plan. Just as Christ is both fully God and fully man, perfectly united in the one Holy person, so too does God desire that we become perfectly united to Him (Theosis), so that through this union, we may inherit eternal life.
Saint Athanasius of Alexandria speaks on the Incarnation (the taking of flesh by our Savior) in his Treatise on the Incarnation:
“The Word of God thus acted consistently in assuming a body and using a human instrument to vitalize the body. He was consistent in working through man to reveal Himself everywhere, as well as through the other parts of His creation, so that nothing was left void of His Divinity and knowledge. For I take up now the point I made before, namely that the Savior did this in order that He might fill all things everywhere with the knowledge of Himself, just as they are already filled with His presence, even as the Divine Scripture says, ‘The whole universe was filled with the knowledge of the Lord’… The Word, then, visited that earth in which He was yet always present; and saw all the evils…. For this purpose, then, the incorporeal and incorruptible and immaterial Word of God comes to our realm, though He was not far from us before. For no part of Creation is left void of Him; He has filled all things everywhere, remaining present with His own Father. But He comes in condescension to show loving kindness upon us, and to visit us.”
The essence of this is that God so loved His creation that He could not bear to see us lost and without a shepherd. So, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity came down to fill us with His grace and make known His love. His Incarnation was not only the means of salvation but also the sign of things to come. Through His life, death, and resurrection, we are offered the opportunity for salvation—should we choose it—by living a life of love for God, others, and active participation in the Holy Mysteries of His Church."
Saint Anthony the Great of the Egyptian desert sums up the mystery of the Incarnation eloquently in his letters when he states:
“And being clothed with the Spirit, they [the prophets] saw that none among the creatures was able to heal that great wound, but only the bounty of God, that is to say His Only-Begotten, Whom He sent to be the Savior of all the world, for He is the great Physician, Who is able to heal the great wound. And they asked God, and of His bounty, the Father of creatures did not spare His Only-Begotten for our salvation, but delivered Him up for us all and for our iniquities. And He humbled Himself, and by His stripes, we all were healed. And by the word of His power, He gathered us out of all lands, from one end of the world to the other, and raised up our hearts from the earth, and taught us that we are members one of another.”
What Saint Anthony is communicating here is that the Second Person of the All-Holy Trinity came down so that we might be healed. How did He do this? Not in the way we might expect. He did not enter the world with a grand army and proclaim His kingship, but rather He took our nature and, through the Mystery of the resurrection, our fallen and sinful nature rose with Him.
A text from the Western tradition that sums up this Mystery of our salvation beautifully is a poem by Godfrey Goodman (1583-1656 AD), which was set to music by the English composer Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625 AD) in the anthem, ‘See, see the word is incarnate:
“See, see the Word is incarnate; God is made man in the womb of a Virgin. Shepherds rejoice, wise men adore, and angels sing, 'Glory be to God on high: peace on earth, good will towards men.’
The law is cancelled, Jews and Gentiles converted by the preaching of glad tidings of salvation. The blind have sight, and cripples have their motion; diseases cured, the dead are raised, and miracles are wrought. Let us welcome such a guest with Hosanna.
The Paschal Lamb is offered, Christ Jesus made a sacrifice for sin. The earth quakes, the sun is darkened, the powers of hell are shaken; and lo, He is risen up in victory. Sing Alleluia.
See, O see the fresh wounds, the gored blood, the prick of thorns, the print of nails. And in the sight of multitudes, a glorious ascension.
When now He sits on God's right hand, where all the choir of heaven jointly sing: 'Glory be to the Lamb that sitteth on the throne. ’Let us continue our wonted note with Hosanna: 'Blessed be He that cometh in the Name of the Lord’; with Alleluia, we triumph in victory, the serpent's head is bruised, Christ's kingdom exalted, and heaven laid open to sinners [‘believers’ in some versions]. Amen.”
This poem beautifully sums up Christ's life and ministry in five stanzas, giving us a clear understanding of why Christ came—that all might have life and live it to the full (John 10:10), culminating in the Kingdom of Heaven being opened to all believers. This is our hope and joy; this is why our faith is a faith of joy and why we are called to be people of joy, spreading that joy to others.
This is why we are called to be people of love and joy. We are not called to sit and judge others but to get our hands dirty in helping and giving others the opportunity to experience God's love. Did Christ seek out the scribes and Pharisees - those who thought themselves the religious elite of their day? No. He sought to be with the despairing, broken, and lost, for they are the ones who need to hear that, no matter what others think of them, they are loved and worthy of salvation—a seat at His heavenly banquet is offered them, with their name on it, should they choose to accept this invitation
Let us use these few days before the Holy Feast of the Nativity to bring the love of Christ to those in need. Let us not be quick to judge but quick to listen. When people see that we are not there to judge them but to help and support them, they will recognize the love of Christ, not the judgment so many face at the hands of so-called Christians (John 13:35).
Finally, let us use these last few days to grow closer to our Lord and Savior, asking for His help in the year ahead. Ask Him to guide you so that you may grow this coming year, and most importantly, grow closer to Him, so that His grace and love may dwell within you.
“Rejoice, O Bethlehem! Prepare yourself, O Ephratha! The ewe-lamb is on her way to give birth to the Chief Shepherd she carries in her womb. The God-fearing forefathers will rejoice beholding Him, and the shepherds will venerate her nursing Him.” (Hymn on the Sunday before Holy Nativity).
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