January 7, 2005
Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ

Beloved Fellow Bishops, Archimandrites, Presbyters, Protodeacons, Deacons, Holy Monastics, and all my Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Today, through God’s infinite mercy, we celebrate the incarnation of the second person of the Most Holy Trinity. He is the one that we worship along with His Father and the All-Holy Spirit. On this Holy Day we share the wonder and the awe that God, who is a spirit and of whom no image can be made, has taken an image. Yet, not any image, He has taken our image. In this we must give great thanks for in doing this, he opens the way for us to take His image. Truly this wonder, this presence of God amongst humanity is above al else a “Theophany” a revelation given to us all

It is because God so loved us that this has occurred. It was God’s infinite love for all his creation that he gave us this gift. In all time God watched over humanity, his finest creation; and when we erred he sent his wrath to remind us that we belonged to him. In being a severe parent He brought us back to the path. Yet, under all this action of a strict Father is the Promise of better things to come. And like the Shepherds in Fields we stand in awe of the action of our Father, because we saw his actions of old as punishing and yet this as the Angels sang: “Tidings of Great Joy”. He has made good his Promise to Adam and Eve.

You see, God made himself know to us, so that we might know how to serve him in return. He was born in a cave and not in the Palace of a king, even though he is the King of all. Like wise we are to he humble and love as deeply and profoundly as God loved us. We read in the Gospel of John: “That God so loved the world that he gave his only son that all who believe in him shall not parish.” As He gave us his Son, born in humility and love, so to are we to serve him in virtue, living our lives in the presence of the Sun of Righteousness, Jesus Christ… who is our Lord.

It wasn’t yet another prophet who brought this announcement of such profound proportion, but an Angel sent by God surrounded by the Angelic host. Nor was the message sent to the kings of the earth, but to the simple folk. It wasn’t an intellectual announcement, but words which filled the hearts of those who heard it. It was wondrous words that filled the shepherds with feat and awe. It was awe inspiring enough that they left their flocks to seek the child and behold their Saviour

And so we hear that the Creator has come to be with us, to be one of us so that we might be one with him. Yet, we ask; from whom does he save us? The answer is simple. He comes to deliver us from the Sin of Adam… from the actions of corruption and death. He saves us so that we might share in all that was meant for us since the beginning of time. We were meant to be with him and so he brings us back to himself. And so the message of the Angel was given not to just the shepherds of the fields, but to the universe. It was news not limited to any one age, but to all ages and to all peoples.

We know that God does not limit his actions to any one time nor any one place, because he is the author of time, and all creation is the work of his hands. In this, the celebration of the Birth of Christ is a universal celebration. It is a celebration of endless joy and an action which is irreversible to all creation.

Behold! Today bestows peace upon the world.

Behold! Today is the Prince of Peace, let us not persecute

Behold! Today is the day of Great Humility. Let no one be proud.

Behold! This is a Day of Great Joy and Humility let no one hate his fellow human being.

Behold! It is a day of Goodness and Peace let us not dwell on anger.

Behold! The beauty of the day must not allow us to be impoverished. In all this we have been given a richness beyond all riches and so we ought to share with those so less fortunate. Let us invite them to our Family Table.

Today we received a preciousness for which we did not ask. The Path to paradise has been made clear and that our prayers are heard. Let us then open the doors of our hearts and forgive others who ask for our forgiveness and accept without condition the forgiveness of those who offer it to us.

Dearly Beloved: Today’s good news is to be shared with all. We are called to be like the angels and proclaim the Birth of the Son of Peace. We are called to be gentle and love the unloved and the unlovable. We are called to be His instrument and make known his message to all the world.

Let us cry out, together with one voice: “Christ is Born! Glorify Him!”

I wish you all the joy of the feast, and that the light of the New Born Child will fill your hearts for the whole year to come.

+Elias
Bishop of San Francisco
Independent Greek Orthodox Church of the United States