Ukrainian Orthodoxy		Orthodoxie ukrainienne

Christmas Without Christ?

Very Reverend Ihor Kutash kutash@unicorne.org

(The Nativity in the Flesh of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ)

As we celebrate the great Feast of the Nativity of Christ, let us refer to the Scriptures we read on this occasion. We find cause for great joy, for the Epistle (Galatians 4:4-7) points out that as Christians we have the immense privilege of knowing ourselves to be God's children whom God loves and to whose voices He listens with constant and careful attention.

We also find a troubling note: in the Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12) we hear of Herod's concern to find out the birth-place of the new King whom the Magi had come to worship. His intent was desperate and malicious. Herod had become so seduced by the need to be in power over people's lives, that he was now contemplating the unthinkable - to take up arms and try to kill God's Anointed, the long-awaited Messiah whose coming he ought to have greeted with joy and relief. He might have said: "At last eternal peace and justice had come into the world with the birth of the Promised One". Instead his one thought was how to prolong his own reign by killing the Infant-King. In his madness for power Herod determined to wage war on God Himself!

Thus even as we rejoice over the coming of the Messiah in the warm stable at Bethlehem, we feel the chill and dark outside it as Herod, inspired by Satan himself, the long-time adversary of God, makes his dreary decisions - identical to decisions made by power-mad people throughout the ages: "I will kill without mercy any one who stands in my way. Better that thousands of innocent ones perish than that one opponent remains alive". Such is the seductive power of evil over those who make material things their priority over the eternal things of the spirit.

Let us beware, for the seduction that led Herod to order the murder of the innocents of Bethlehem is out to win us over as well! Herod was not a sub-human - he was our brother. The firm will he showed in his attempt to stamp out his opponent - even if that opponent was God Himself, might have been put to wonderful use in bringing about good in the world. If only Herod had not let himself be diverted to evil!

Beware! We who hear and read these words are also in danger of being similarly diverted! We may even now be on the way to Herod's sorry state. Lets examine ourselves by asking: "What and why am I celebrating at this time?" Is it really the birth of Christ? Or are we, like so many, trying to get the high of Christmas without Christ in it?

If it really is Christ's birth we are celebrating then let us resolve with all our hearts to follow and serve Him. Let us turn with all our hearts and souls to love goodness and mercy as He does. Let us stop considering such things to be weakness and see them for the true and lasting power that they truly are! Let us get to work on our thoughts and our intentions and keep at it for the rest of our lives - and make our hearts and minds the dwelling-place of Christ. Let Christmas remain forever within our souls! Lets welcome our true and eternal King! Lets proclaim that He truly is our King by submitting to Him every bit of our lives.

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