Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,

This month, I would like to share some words from Fr. John Souza:

“The Word of God, Who created the world, has now entered the world in the womb of a Virgin. Jesus, the Second Adam, as the Fathers said, became Incarnate in the womb of the Second Eve. Mary, the lowly maidservant from Galilee, had conceived in her womb and became the Mother of God. The Holy Spirit hovered over her in the new creation for the redemption of man and the renewal of all things…

“… St. John Chrysostom says, ‘What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of days has become an infant. He Who sits upon the sublime and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger.’

“The Lord Jesus, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, comes to redeem the world, but He comes not in His unveiled glory. He comes as a Baby who needs to be cared for, fed, nourished, protected, and loved. God becomes a man, so He does not merely relate to humanity externally, as it were, as One whom we only encounter as a stranger. Without ceasing to be God, He takes humanity upon Himself completely (except sin) so that He can live not only with us but also in us.”

‍This profound truth - that the Son of God became incarnate as a newborn babe for the salvation of the world - is a unique message in all the world. Instead of insisting on what we must do to reach God, as Orthodox we celebrate that God came to us. As we go forward in the season of Nativity this month and celebrate the Lord’s birth in a manger, let us remember that all that He did was out of His great love for us.

Christ is born!  Glorify Him!

With Love in Christ,

Fr. Niko Bekris
Parish Priest