The sobriety of Christmas

In the Orthodox Church we annually commemorate the children, arguably numbered in the thousands, who were slaughtered in Bethlehem, Judea by King Herod, directly after Christmas.

We remember these poor children and how they became the first martyrs for the faith of Christ. Though they never consciously new it at the time, their blood was to be spilled in jealous rage in an effort to kill the newborn King which the Magi had told Herod about. This act thus fulfilled the prophecy in Jeremiah, "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." The Christ-child and family escape to Egypt due to the message of an Angel who warns Mary.

In light of the recent events at Sandy Hook Elementary, it is easy to imagine clearly this horrific event. How many of us ask God why something like this happens, or how He could allow this to happen?

The Church teaches that because God is Love, He wants us (created in His image) to have free will. He wishes us to freely accept and partake in His divinity. To do this we must strive to work toward holiness; despite the odds we must continue to run the race, voluntarily. We must take up our own cross and follow Him.

God does not wish for the pain and suffering of this world. To show this He came and endured the worst of it, and by demonstrating His love for us He overcame death. The shadow of the cross always looms in the background of Jesus's life. Though we preach of hope and peace for the whole world, this hope is fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ.

Nativity is a time of sober joy, where we remember not just the good parts of life but also the pain, hardship and struggle of life. We as Christians live not according to the ways of this world. Our lives are not all tinsel and lights. Though we celebrate the Christmas feast, we celebrate it with a sense of solidarity with those who have gone before us, the saints and martyrs, children of massacres and our risen Christ who bears the scars of a world that must be made right. We see this most clearly in the Sunday prior to Christmas, December 17th, the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, where we remember all those who have gone before us.

As we read in Colossians 3:4-11

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Let us fast then, even more, for what is a feast if we are always feasting? Let us lift our minds and hearts to the things of God as we approach the coming feast with joy and hope in our hearts; witnessing once again the birth of the Word, the King of All, who comes to save the world and restore Adam to his former glory. Let us remember the encouraging words of St. Athanasius, that "God became man, that man could become like God". Mankind fell from grace through a tree and now he is restored by a tree, the tree of life, the cross, the true Christmas tree.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God. Amen. +