ΥΜΝΟΙ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΩΝ-ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS HYMNS

Χριστούγεννα η Αποκάλυψη της μονδικής Αλήθειας

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥΓΕΝΝΑ
Η ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΜΟΝΑΔΙΚΗΣ, 

 ΠΡΟΣΩΠΟΙΗΜΕΝΗΣ, ΤΕΛΕΙΑΣ, ΣΩΤΗΡΙΩΔΟΥΣ, ΘΕÏΚΗΣ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΘΕΑΝΔΡΙΚΟΝ ΠΡΟΣΩΠΟΝ ΤΟΥ ΕΝΑΝΘΡΩΠΗΣΑΝΤΟΣ ΘΕΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΥ ΙΗΣΟΥ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ

Πρωτ. Άγγελος Αγγελακόπουλος

Πρό της ελεύσεως του Χριστού ήμασταν αμαρτωλοί. Καί ως αμαρτωλοί ήμασταν καταδικασμένοι. Η θέση μας μετά τόν θάνατο ήταν στήν κόλαση, τήν κατάσταση της αιωνίου αμεθεξίας του Θεού. Καί συνεπώς είχαμε ανάγκη σωτηρίας. Καί ποιός θά μπορούσε νά μας σώσει; Μόνο ο Θεός, στόν Οποίο έχουν αναφορά οι αμαρτίες μας. Ο Υιός καί Λόγος του Θεού Πατρός, τό δεύτερο πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τριάδος, ο Θεάνθρωπος Ιησούς Χριστός, όταν ήλθε τό «πλήρωμα του χρόνου»[1], δηλ. όταν η ανθρώπινη φύση, αφού εκπλήρωσε κάθε είδος κακίας, χρειαζόταν ιατρεία[2], «έκλινεν ουρανούς καί κατέβη», ενηνθρώπησε, έγινε καί τέλειος άνθρωπος, προσέλαβε ολόκληρη τήν ανθρώπινη φύση, εκτός της αμαρτίας, τήν ένωσε στό Θεανδρικό πρόσωπό Του καί ήλθε στόν κόσμο όχι μόνο γιά νά μας σώσει, αλλά καί γιά νά μας θεώσει. Σύμφωνα μέ τόν Μ. Αθανάσιο «Αυτός γάρ ενηνθρώπησεν, ίνα ημείς θεοποιηθώμεν»[3]. Ο Θεός γίνεται άνθρωπος, γιά γίνει ο άνθρωπος Θεός κατά Χάριν. Αυτό τό γεγονός εορτάζουμε κατά τήν εορτή των Χριστουγέννων.

Πώς ήλθε ο Χριστός, αγαπητοί μου; Τόν καλέσαμε; Αλλά, εμείς οι εθνικοί πώς θά μπορούσαμε νά Τόν καλέσουμε, τήν στιγμή πού Τόν αγνοούσαμε; Ο εγωισμός καί η αμαρτία μάς είχαν σκοτίσει˙ είχαμε καταντήσει μωροί, ανόητοι˙ θεοποιήσαμε καί λατρεύσαμε τά κτίσματα καί τά πάθη μας, αντί γιά τόν Κτίστη. Πώς θά μπορούσαμε νά Τόν καλέσουμε, αφού θεωρούσαμε τήν αμαρτία απλώς σάν μιά αστοχία, σάν ένα μαθηματικό λάθος, καί όχι ως τήν οντολογική ρήξη μέ τόν Ίδιο τόν Θεό, καί συνεπώς δέν αισθανόμασταν τήν ανάγκη μετανοίας; Καί πάλι πώς θά μπορούσαμε νά Τόν καλέσουμε, αφού πολλοί δέν πιστεύαμε στήν ύπαρξη της ψυχής, σέ αιώνια ζωή καί σέ ανταπόδοση κατά τά έργα μας;

Ο Χριστός ήλθε στόν κόσμο χωρίς κλήση από τούς ανθρώπους, αλλά από δική Του πρωτοβουλία, αυτεπαγγέλτως. Δέν καλέσαμε εμείς τόν Θεό νά έλθει σ’εμάς, αλλά ο Θεός ήλθε καί μας κάλεσε νά πάμε πρός Αυτόν, όπως ωραιότατα λέει ο 18ος οίκος του Ακαθίστου Ύμνου˙ «Σώσαι θέλων τόν κόσμον ο των όλων κοσμήτωρ πρός τούτον αυτεπάγγελτος ήλθε˙ καί Ποιμήν υπάρχων ως Θεός, δι’ημάς εφάνη καθ’ημάς άνθρωπος˙ ομοίω γάρ τό όμοιον καλέσας, ως Θεός ακούει˙ Αλληλούια».

Ο Χριστός ήλθε όχι μόνο αυτεπαγγέλτως, αλλά καί αυτοπροσώπως. Αυτοπροσώπως μας δημιούργησε καί αυτοπροσώπως ήλθε καί μας αναδημιούργησε. Ο Θεός Πατήρ δέν έστειλε αγγέλους, γιά νά τούς καταστήσει σωτήρες του κόσμου, αλλά έστειλε ένα απόγονο του Αβραάμ, τόν Χριστό. Ο Χριστός, όμως, δέν είναι απλώς άνθρωπος, αλλά ο Σωτήρ, ο Μεσσίας, ο Κύριος, στόν οποίο κατοικεί όλη η θεότητα, ο όλος Θεός. Ο Υιός της Παρθένου δέν είναι απλώς άνθρωπος, αλλά Θεάνθρωπος.

Ο Θεός ανέλαβε αυτό τό έργο της αναδημιουργίας του φθαρτού κόσμου, διότι έχει πολλή, ανιδιοτελή, υπερβάλλουσα, τελεία αγάπη. «Ούτω γάρ ηγάπησεν ο Θεός τόν κόσμον, ώστε τόν Υιόν αυτού τόν μονογενή έδωκεν, ίνα πας ο πιστεύων εις αυτόν μή απόληται, αλλ’έχη ζωήν αιώνιον»[4], λέει ο Ευαγγελιστής Ιωάννης ο Θεολόγος. Ο Θεός μάς δημιούργησε από αγάπη καί πάλι από αγάπη αυτεπαγγέλτως καί αυτοπροσώπως ήλθε νά μάς σώσει, διότι είχαμε διαφθαρεί καί βαδίζαμε στήν απώλεια, εξαιτίας του εγωισμού, της ανυπακοής καί της εχθρότητας πρός τόν Θεό. Ο Θεός αγάπησε ανθρώπους, πού δέν Τόν αγαπούσαν, αλλά Τόν εχθρεύονταν. Ο Θεός αγάπησε εχθρούς, πού ήξερε, ότι θά Τόν ανέβαζαν στόν Σταυρό καί θά Τόν πότιζαν όξος καί χολή. Ο Θεός αγάπησε καθάρματα! Κατά τόν ιερό Χρυσόστομο «ο Θεός επεθύμησε πόρνη. Πόρνη επεθύμησε ο Θεός; Ναί, πόρνη», εννοώντας τήν δική μας λερωμένη καί αμαυρωμένη ανθρώπινη φύση[5]. Όντως ακατάληπτη σέ μας τούς μικρόψυχους καί ιδιοτελείς η αγάπη του Θεού[6].

Γιά ποιόν άλλο λόγο ήλθε ο Χριστός στόν κόσμο; Γιά νά γνωρίσουμε τήν αλήθεια καί νά ελευθερωθούμε από τήν πλάνη. «Γνώσεσθε τήν αλήθεια καί η αλήθεια ελευθερώσει υμάς»[7], μας λέει ο Ίδιος. Βέβαια, η αλήθεια δέν είναι μιά αφηρημένη καί απρόσωπη έννοια, αλλά βρίσκει τό τέλειο περιεχόμενό της στό θείο πρόσωπο του Χριστού. Η αλήθεια είναι ο Χριστός, όπως μάς απεκάλυψε ο Ίδιος˙ «Εγώ ειμί η οδός καί η αλήθεια καί η ζωή»[8]. Η μοναδική αλήθεια, προσωπική μάλιστα, όχι αλήθεια ως έννοια, αλλά αλήθεια προσωποποιημένη, σέ πρόσωπο, είναι η χριστιανική αλήθεια, είναι ο Θεός των Χριστιανών, είναι η Αγία Τριάς, ο Πατήρ, ο Υιός καί τό Άγιον Πνεύμα. Ένα από τά πρόσωπα τό γνωρίσαμε στό πρόσωπο του Κυρίου ημών Ιησού Χριστού. Στό πρόσωπο του Χριστού μας φανερώθηκε ποιά είναι η πραγματική αλήθεια.

Αυτές τίς ημέρες ακούμε πολύ συχνά να πολύ όμορφο χριστουγεννιάτικο ύμνο˙ «Βηθλεέμ ετοιμάζου, ευτρεπιζέσθω η φάτνη, τό σπήλαιον δεχέσθω, η αλήθεια ήλθεν, η σκιά παρέδραμε»[9]. Ετοιμάζου Βηθλεέμ˙ κι εσύ φάτνη˙ η αλήθεια ήλθε. Γεννιέται ο Χριστός, κατεβαίνει στή γη τό δεύτερο πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τριάδος, γιά νά μάς παρουσιάσει προσωπικά τήν αλήθεια˙ «εγώ ειμί η αλήθεια». Ελάτε νά βιώσετε κοντά   σ’ Εμένα τήν αλήθεια καί ν’αναπαυθείτε. «Η αλήθεια ήλθεν, η σκιά παρέδραμε».

Ο άγιος και ευαγγελιστής Ιωάννης ο Θεολόγος αρχίζει τό Ευαγγέλιό του ως εξής : «Εν αρχή ην ο Λόγος καί ο Λόγος ην πρός τόν Θεόν καί Θεός ην ο Λόγος», «καί ο Λόγος σάρξ εγένετο»[10]. Νά, λοιπόν! Ο Λόγος του Θεού έγινε σάρκα στό πρόσωπο του Χριστού. Προσωπική πραγματικότητα.

Ο Χριστός, όταν ήλθε καί κήρυξε τό Ευαγγέλιο, δέν κήρυξε μία αλήθεια μερική, δέν είπε ότι «εγώ είμαι ένας από αυτούς, πού λένε τήν αλήθεια». Είπε˙ «Εγώ είμαι η οδός καί η αλήθεια καί η ζωή»[11], αποκλειστικά. Ο Χριστός είναι τό πλήρωμα της αληθείας καί η Εκκλησία είναι τό πλήρωμα, ο στύλος της αληθείας, συνεχίζοντας τόν Χριστό.

Τήν περίοδο αυτή του ιερού Δωδεκαημέρου αναγινώσκουμε αυτή τή φοβερή περικοπή από τό Ευαγγέλιο, πού, όταν ο Χριστός άρχισε νά διδάσκει εκεί στήν Ιουδαία, λέει˙ «γη Ζαβουλών καί γη Νεφθαλείμ, ο λαός ο καθήμενος εν σκότει είδε φως μέγα καί τοις καθημένοις εν χώρα καί σκιά θανάτου φως ανέτειλεν αυτοίς»[12]. «Εγώ είμαι τό φως του κόσμου»[13], είπε. Δέν υπάρχουν άλλα φώτα. Καί δέν τά λέει αυτά ένας δάσκαλος, άνθρωπος. Δέν τά λέει ο Μωάμεθ, ο Αλλάχ, ο Βούδδας, ο Κομφούκιος, ο Πάπας. Τά λέει ο ίδιος ο Θεός στό πρόσωπο του Χριστού. Αν πιστεύουμε ότι ο Χριστός είναι ο Θεός, τό δεύτερο πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τριάδος, τολμούμε νά αμφισβητήσουμε ότι αυτό πού λέει ο Χριστός «Εγώ είμαι η αλήθεια καί η οδός καί η ζωή»; Αποκλειστικά εγώ καί κανένας άλλος. Αυτό τό λέμε καί στό απολυτίκιο της Γεννήσεως˙ «Η γέννησίς σου, Χριστέ ο Θεός ημών, ανέτειλε τω κόσμω τό φως τό της γνώσεως. Εν αυτή γάρ οι τοις άστροις λατρεύοντες υπό αστέρος εδιδάσκοντο σέ προσκυνείν τόν ήλιον της δικαιοσύνης». Η Γέννησή σου, Χριστέ, ανέτειλε στόν κόσμο τό φως. Δέν υπήρχε φως. «Η αλήθεια ήλθεν, η σκιά παρέδραμεν». Πάει τό σκοτάδι. Ήλθε η αλήθεια. Γι’αυτό σέ κάθε Θεία Λειτουργία ψάλουμε : «Είδομεν τό φως τό αληθινόν, ελάβομεν Πνεύμα επουράνιον˙ εύρομεν πίστιν αληθή». Αλήθεια. «Αδιαίρετον Τριάδα προσκυνούντες».

Οι ιεροί υμνογράφοι της εορτής των Χριστουγέννων, όσιος Κοσμάς ο ποιητής επίσκοπος Μαϊουμά καί όσιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, αρκετά τροπάρια τά έγραψαν σέ χρόνο ενεστώτα καί χρησιμοποιούν συχνά τό χρονικό επίρρημα «σήμερον», όπως «Χριστός γεννάται, δοξάσατε...», «Η Παρθένος σήμερον τόν υπερούσιον τίκτει...», «Σήμερον γεννάται εκ Παρθένου ο δρακί τήν πάσαν έχων κτίσιν», «Σήμερον τίκτει η Παρθένος τόν Ποιητήν του παντός...», «Σήμερον δέχεται η Βηθλεέμ τόν καθήμενον διά παντός σύν Πατρί. Σήμερον Άγγελοι τό Βρέφος τό τεχθέν θεοπρεπώς δοξολογούσι...» κ.ά. Δικαιολογημένα θά ρωτούσε κάποιος γιά ποιόν λόγο τό έκαναν αυτό, αφού τό ιστορικό γεγονός της Γεννήσεως του Χριστού πραγματοποιήθηκε μία φορά πρίν από 2012 χρόνια καί κανονικά θά έπρεπε νά χρησιμοποιήσουν παρελθοντικό χρόνο. Τήν απάντηση μάς τή δίδει ο Όσιος Νικόδημος ο Αγιορείτης, τονίζοντας ότι οι ρήτορες συνηθίζουν νά προφέρουν τά περασμένα πράγματα σέ χρόνο ενεστώτα, γιά νά τά δείξουν ως παρόντα στά μάτια των ακροατών καί ακολούθως νά τούς κάνουν περισσότερο θεατές παρά ακροατές[14]. Ο χρόνος μέσα στήν Εκκλησία σχετικοποιείται, καταργείται καί όλα τά παρελθόντα γίνονται παρόντα, γιά νά μπορούν οι πιστοί νά τά βιώνουν, σά νά πραγματοποιούνται ακριβώς αυτή τή στιγμή. Τό χρονικό γίνεται άχρονο, αιώνιο καί αΐδιο. Καί όχι μόνο τά παρελθόντα γίνονται παρόντα, αλλά καί τά μέλλοντα. Παράξενο αυτό! Πώς γίνεται ένα μελλοντικό γεγονός, πού δέν τό γνωρίζουμε καί δέν έχει πραγματοποιηθεί ακόμη, νά είναι παρόν; Είναι αυτή η κατάργηση καί σχετικοποίηση του χρόνου, πού αναφέραμε πιό πάνω. Στήν ευχή της Αναφοράς της Θείας Λειτουργίας ο λειτουργών ιερεύς λέγει : «Μεμνημένοι τοίνυν της σωτηρίου ταύτης εντολής καί πάντων των υπέρ ημών γεγενημένων, του σταυρού, του τάφου, της τριημέρου αναστάσεως, της εις ουρανούς αναβάσεως, της εκ δεξιών καθέδρας, της δευτέρας καί ενδόξου πάλιν παρουσίας». Θυμόμαστε, λέει, περασμένα γεγονότα, πού έχουν γίνει. Τήν Σταύρωση, τήν Ταφή, τήν Ανάσταση, τήν Ανάληψη. Μέχρι εδώ εντάξει. Αλλά, ας προσέξουμε τί λέει παρακάτω! Θυμόμαστε καί τήν Δευτέρα καί ένδοξη Παρουσία. Μά, είναι δυνατόν αυτό; Νά θυμόμαστε ένα μελλοντικό γεγονός, πού δέν έχει λάβει χώρα; Ένας φιλόλογος θά εξίστατο καί θά έλεγε ότι εδώ υπάρχει λάθος. Όμως, δέν είναι λάθος. Είναι ορθόν. Διότι, στήν Εκκλησία καί τήν Ορθόδοξη θεολογία τά γεγονότα όλα είναι παρόντα καί ο πιστός τά βιώνει εδώ καί τώρα. Καί γιατί ο πιστός δέν πρέπει νά κατανοεί τά πράγματα καί τά γεγονότα μόνο μέ τό μυαλό, μέ τή λογική, νοησιαρχικά, αλλά κυρίως ωφείλει νά μετέχει σ’αυτά καί νά τά βιώνει καρδιακώς.     

Όντως, αγαπητοί μου, «μέγα τό της ευσεβείας μυστήριον», αναφωνεί ο Απόστολος των εθνών Παύλος, διότι «ο Θεός εφανερώθη εν σαρκί»[15]. Αυτό τό μέγα μυστήριο ας είναι η κύρια μελέτη καί τό εντρύφημά μας αυτές τίς άγιες ημέρες του ιερού Δωδεκαημέρου, ικετεύοντας παραλλήλως τό θείον Βρέφος της Βηθλεέμ νά μας ανοίξει τά πνευματικά μάτια της ψυχής μας, ώστε νά τό βιώσουμε καρδιακώς όσο τό δυνατόν βαθύτερα. Ας κάνουμε τίς καρδιές μας φάτνες ταπεινές, γιά νά υποδεχθούμε τόν ενανθρωπήσαντα Κύριο καί Σωτήρα μας, καί, όπως ο Χριστός καταδέχθηκε νά γεννηθεί ως νήπιον, έτσι κι εμείς ας γίνουμε νήπια όχι στήν ηλικία καί τήν φρόνηση, αλλά ας νηπιάσουμε ως πρός τίς αμαρτίες μας.

[1] Γαλ. 4, 4.
[2] ΟΣΙΟΣ ΝΙΚΟΔΗΜΟΣ ΑΓΙΟΡΕΙΤΗΣ, Ερμηνεία εις τάς ΙΔ΄ επιστολάς του  Αποστόλου  Παύλου, τ. Β΄, σ. 302, εκδ. Ορθόδοξος Κυψέλη, Θεσσαλονίκη 1990.
[3] Μ. ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟΣ, Περί ενανθρωπήσεως του Λόγου 54, PG 25, 192Β.
[4] Ιω. 3, 16.
[5] ΑΓΙΟΣ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ ΧΡΥΣΟΣΤΟΜΟΣ, Ομιλία «ότε της Εκκλησίας έξω ευρεθείς Ευτρόπιος...», PG 52, 404Α - 411Β.
[6] Ο Σταυρός, μηνιαίο περιοδικό όργανο ορθοδόξου ιεραποστολικής αδελφότητος, έτος ΝΓ΄, Αθήναι, Δεκέμβριος 2005, αρ. τ. 507, σσ. 164-166.
[7] Ιω. 8, 32.
[8] Ιω. 14, 6.
[9] Ιδιόμελον Α΄ Μεγάλης Ώρας Χριστουγέννων.
[10] Ιω. 1,1,14.
[11] Ιω. 14,6.
[12] Μτθ. 4,15-16.
[13] Ιω. 8,12.
[14] ΟΣΙΟΣ ΝΙΚΟΔΗΜΟΣ ΑΓΙΟΡΕΙΤΗΣ, Εορτοδρόμιον ήτοι ερμηνεία εις τούς ασματικούς κανόνας των Δεσποτικών και Θεομητορικών εορτών, τ. Α΄, σ. 152,                
   εκδ. Ορθόδοξος Κυψέλη, Θεσσαλονίκη 1987.
[15] Α΄ Τιμ. 3, 16.

On the Sunday of the Forefathers of Christ (St. Gregory Palamas)

by St. Gregory Palamas (+1359)

David indicates that our Lord Jesus Christ has no genealogy with regard to His divinity (Ps 110.4), Isaiah says the same (Isa 53.8), and later so does the Apostle (Heb 7.3). How can the descent be traced of Him “who is in the beginning, and is with God, and is God, and is the Word and Son of God” (Jn 1.1-2, 18)? He does not have a Father who was before Him, and shares with His Father “a name which is above every other name” and all speech (Phil 2.9). For the most part, genealogies are traced back through different surnames but there is no surname for God, and whatever may be said of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, They are one and do not differ in any respect.

Imposssible to recount is Christ’s descent according to His divinity, but His ancestry according to His human nature can be traced, since He who deigned to become Son of man in order to save mankind was the offspring of men. And it is this genealogy of His that two of the evangelists, Matthew and Luke, recorded. But although Matthew, in the passage from his Gospel read today, begins with those born first, he makes no mention of anyone before Abraham. He traces the line down from Abraham until he reaches Joseph to whom, by divine dispensation, the Virgin Mother of God was betrothed, being of the same tribe and homeland as him, that her own stock might be shown from this to be in no way inferior. Luke, by contrast, begins not with the earliest forebears but the most recent, and working his way back from Joseph the Betrothed, does not stop at Abraham, nor, having included Abraham’s predecessors, does he end with Adam, but lists God among Christ’s human forebears (Luke 3.23-38); wishing to show, in my opinion, that from the beginning man was not just a creation of God, but also a son in the Spirit, which was given to him at the same time as his soul, through God’s quickening breath (Gen 2.7). It was granted to him as a pledge that, if, waiting patiently for it, he kept the commandment, he would be able to share through the same Spirit in a more perfect union with God, by which he would live for ever with Him and obtain immortality.

By heeding the evil counsel of the pernicious angel, man transgressed the divine commandments, was shown to be unworthy, forfeited the pledge and interrupted God’s plan. God’s grace, however, is unalterable and His purpose cannot prove false, so some of man’s offspring were chosen, that, from among many, a suitable receptacle for this divine adoption and grace might be found, who would serve God’s will perfectly, and would be revealed as a vessel worthy to unite divine and human nature in one person, not just exalting our nature, but restoring the human race. The holy Maid and Virgin Mother of God was this vessel, so she was proclaimed by the archangel Gabriel as full of grace, being the chosen one among the chosen, blameless, undefiled and worthy to contain the person of the God-man and to collaborate with Him. Therefore God pre-ordained her before all ages, chose her from among all who had ever lived, and deemed her worthy of more grace than anyone else, making her the holiest of saints, even before her mysterious childbearing. For that reason, He graciously willed that she should make her home in the Holy of Holies, and accepted her as His companion to share His dwelling from her childhood. He did not simply choose her from the masses, but from the elect of all time, who were admired and renowned for their piety and wisdon, and for their character, words and deeds, which pleased God and brought benefit to all.

Observe also that the Holy Spirit makes it clear to such as have understanding that the whole of divinely inspired Scripture was written because of the Virgin Mother of God. It relates in detail the entire line of her ancestry, which begins with Adam, then passes through Seth, Noah and Abraham, as well as David and Zerubbabel, those in between them and their successors, and goes up to the time of the Virgin Mother of God. By contrast, Scripture does not touch upon some races at all, and in the case of others, it makes a start at tracing their descent, then soon abandons them, leaving them in the depths of oblivion. Above all, it commemorates those of the Mother of God’s forebears who, in their own lives and the deeds wrought by them, prefigured Christ, who was to be born of the Virgin.

Now these things are examples and types of greater mysteries, since it was necessary that the royal line be united in many ways with the priestly race, which would bring forth the family of Christ according to the flesh; because in many ways Christ is truly the eternal King and High Priest. And the fact that adopted sons are counted as sons, that the law approves of adoptive fathers no less and sometimes more than natural fathers, and that the same, appropriately, applies to other kinds of kinship, was a clear example and type of our adoption by Christ, our kinship with Him and our calling according to the Spirit and the law of grace. For the Lord Himself says in the Gospels, “Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matt 12.50).

Do you see that the family and kin of Christ are not engendered according to nature, but according to grace and the law that comes from grace? This law is so far superior to the law given through Moses that, whereas those called sons according to the law of Moses are neither born of God nor do they transcend human nature, those styled sons by the law of grace are born of God, brought to perfection above nature and made sone of Abraham through Christ, more closely associated with him than sons according to blood. All who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, according to Paul (Gal 3.27), and although they are other people’s children according to nature, they are born supernaturally of Christ, who in this way conquers nature. For as He became incarnate without seed of the Holy Spirit and the ever-virgin Mary, so He grants potential and power to those who believe in His name to become children of God. For “as many as received him,” says the evangelist, “to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1.12-13).

Why, when he says, “which were born of God,” does he not say “and became sons of God,” but “received power to become” sons? Because he was looking towards the end and the universal restoration, the perfection of the age to come. The same evangelist says in his epistles, “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but when He shall appear, we shall be like Him” (1 John 3.2). Then shall we be children of God, seeing and experiencing God’s radiance, with the rays of Christ’s glory shining around us, and ourselves shining, as Moses and Elijah proved to us when they appeared with Him in glory on Mount Tabor (Matt 17.3, Luke 9.30). “The righteous,” it says, “shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt 13.43). We receive power for this purpose now through the grace of divine baptism. Just as a newborn infant has received potential from his parents to become a man and heir to their house and fortune, but does not yet possess that inheritance because he is a minor, nor will he receive it if he dies before coming of age, so a person born again in the Spirit through Christian baptism has received power to become a son and heir of God, a joint-heir with Christ, and in the age to come he will, with all certainty, receive the divine and immortal adoption as a son, which will not be taken from him, unless he has forfeited this by spiritual death. Sin is spiritual death, and whereas physical death is annulled when the future age arrives, spiritual death is confirmed for those who bring it with them from here.

Everyone who has been baptized, if he is to obtain the eternal blessedness and salvation for which he hopes, should live free from all sin. Peter and Paul, the leaders of the highest company of the holy apostles, made this clear. Paul said of Christ, “In that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God,” adding, “likewise we also ought to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God” (Rom 6.10-11), whereas Peter wrote, “Forasmuch then as Christ hath died for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: that ye no longer should live the rest of your time by the lusts of men, but by the will of God” (1 Pet 4.1-2). If it was for our sake that the Lord lived His time on earth, to leave us an example, and He passed His life without sin, we too must live without sin, in imitation of Him. Since He said even to Abraham’s descendants according to the flesh, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham” (John 8.39), how much more will He say to us who have no physical kinship with Him, “If you were My children, you would do My works”? It is therefore consistent and just that anyone who, after divine baptism, after the covenants he made then to God and the grace he received from it, does not follow Christ’s way of life step by step, but transgresses and offends against the benefactor, should be utterly deprived of divine adoption and the eternal inheritance.

But, O Christ our King, who can worthily extol the greatness of Your love for mankind? What was unnecessary for Him and what He did not do, namely, repentance (for He never needed to repent, being sinless), He granted to us as a mediator for when we sin even after receiving grace. Repentance means returning once again to Him and to a life according to His will out of remorse. Even if someone commits a deadly sin, if he turns away from it with all his soul, abstains from it and turns back to the Lord in deed and truth, he should take courage and be of good hope, for he shall not lose eternal life and salvation. When a child according to the flesh meets his death, he is not brought back to life by his father, but someone born of Christ, even though he fall into deadly sins, if he turns again and runs to the Father who raises the dead, is made alive once more, obtains divine adoption, and is not cat out from the company of the just.

May we all attain to this, to the glory of Christ and of His Father without beginning and of the life-giving Spirit, now and for ever, and unto unceasing ages. Amen.

From Homily Fifty-Seven of St Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, on the Sunday of the Forefathers of the Lord, between the years 1347 and 1359.

π. Ανδρέας Κονάνος - Εικόνα Χριστουγέννων (Αθέατα Περάσματα)

π. Ανδρέας Κονάνος Αθέατα Περάσματα 19-12-2006 Εικόνα Χριστουγέννων

The Sunday before Christ's Nativity: St. John Chrysostom on the Genealogy of Christ

 Icon of Christ "Emmanuel", which means "God with us"

Greetings!
For the past forty days we are called by our Church to prepare for Christ's Nativity. On the Sunday before Christmas, the Genealogy of Christ from the first chapter of St. Matthew is read as one of many preparations for us before Christ's Holy Birth. Below are excerpts from the commentary of St. John Chrysostom on this section of the Holy Gospel.

The Sunday before Christ's Nativity: St. John Chrysostom on the Genealogy of Christ

“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.”

Do ye indeed remember the charge, which we lately made you, entreating you to hearken unto all the things that are said with all silence, and mystical quietness? For we are to-day to set foot within the holy vestibule, wherefore I have also put you in mind of the charge.
  

Since, if the Jews, when they were to approach “a mountain that burned, and fire, and blackness, and darkness, and tempest;” —or rather when they were not so much as to approach, but both to see and to hear these things from afar;—were commanded for three days before to abstain from their wives, and to wash their garments, and were in trembling and fear, both themselves and Moses with them; much more we, when we are to hearken to such words, and are not to stand far from a smoking mountain, but to enter into Heaven itself, ought to show forth a greater self-denial; [φιλοσοφαν.] not washing our garments, but wiping clean the robe of our soul, and ridding ourselves of all mixture with worldly things. For it is not blackness that ye shall see, nor smoke, nor tempest, but the King Himself sitting on the throne of that unspeakable glory, and angels, and archangels standing by Him, and the tribes of the saints, with those interminable myriads.
  

For such is the city of God, having “the Church of the first-born, the spirits of the just, the general assembly of the angels, the blood of sprinkling,” whereby all are knit into one, and Heaven hath received the things of earth, and earth the things of Heaven, and that peace hath come which was of old longed for both by angels and by saints.
  

Herein standeth the trophy of the cross, glorious, and conspicuous, the spoils won by Christ, the first-fruits of our nature, the booty of our King; all these, I say, we shall out of the Gospels know perfectly. If thou follow in becoming quietness, we shall be able to lead thee about everywhere, and to show where death is set forth crucified, and where sin is hanged up, and where are the many and wondrous offerings from this war, from this battle.
  

Thou shalt see likewise the tyrant here bound, and the multitude of the captives following, and the citadel from which that unholy demon overran all things in time past. Thou wilt see the hiding places, and the dens of the robber, broken up now, and laid open, for even there also was our King present.

But be not thou weary, beloved, for if any one were describing a visible war, and trophies, and victories, wouldest thou feel no satiety at all; nay, thou wouldest not prefer either drink or meat to this history. But if that kind of narrative be welcome, much more this. For consider what a thing it is to hear, how on the one side God from Heaven, arising “out of the royal thrones, leaped down” unto the earth, and even unto hell itself, and stood in the battle array; and how the devil on the other hand set himself in array against Him; or rather not against God unveiled, but God hidden in man’s nature.

And what is marvellous, thou wilt see death destroyed by death, and curse extinguished by curse, and the dominion of the devil put down by those very things whereby he did prevail. Let us therefore rouse ourselves thoroughly, and let us not sleep, for lo, I see the gates opening to us; but let us enter in with all seemly order, and with trembling, setting foot straightway within the vestibule itself.
  

2. But what is this vestibule? “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham..."
  

Think not, therefore, it is of small things thou art hearing, when thou hearest of this birth, but rouse up thy mind, and straightway tremble, being told that God hath come upon earth. For so marvellous was this, and beyond expectation, that because of these things the very angels formed a choir, and in behalf of the world offered up their praise for them, and the prophets from the first were amazed at this, that “He was seen upon earth, and conversed with men (Baruch iii. 37).” Yea, for it is far beyond all thought to hear that God the Unspeakable, [Or Unapproachable ἀπρσιτο] the Unutterable, the Incomprehensible, and He that is equal to the Father, hath passed through a virgin’s womb, and hath vouchsafed to be born of a woman, and to have Abraham and David for forefathers. But why do I say Abraham and David? For what is even more amazing, there are those women, whom we have lately mentioned.
  

3. Hearing these things, arise, and surmise nothing low: but even because of this very thing most of all shouldest thou marvel, that being Son of the Unoriginate God, and His true Son, He suffered Himself to be called also Son of David, that He might make thee Son of God. He suffered a slave to be father to Him, that He might make the Lord Father to thee a slave.

  

Seest thou at once from the beginning of what nature are the Gospels? If thou doubt concerning the things that pertain to thee, from what belongs to Him believe these also. For it is far more difficult, judging by human reason, for God to become man, than for a man to be declared a Son of God. When therefore thou art told that the Son of God is Son of David and of Abraham, doubt not any more that thou too, the son of Adam, shall be son of God. For not at random, nor in vain did He abase Himself so greatly, only He was minded to exalt us. Thus He was born after the flesh, that thou mightest be born after the Spirit; He was born of a woman, that thou mightest cease to be the son of a woman.

  

Wherefore the birth was twofold, both made like unto us, and also surpassing ours. For to be born of a woman indeed was our lot, but “to be born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of man,” but of the Holy [Spirit], (John i. 13). was to proclaim beforehand the birth surpassing us, the birth to come, which He was about freely to give us of the Spirit. And everything else too was like this. Thus His baptism also was of the same kind, for it partook of the old, and it partook also of the new. To be baptized by the prophet marked the old, but the coming down of the Spirit shadowed out the new. And like as though any one were to place himself in the space between any two persons that were standing apart, and stretching forth both his hands were to lay hold on either side, and tie them together; even so hath He done, joining the old covenant with the new, God’s nature with man’s, the things that are His with ours.

  

Seest thou the flashing brightness of the city, with how great a splendor it hath dazzled thee from the very beginning? how it hath straightway shown the King in thine own form; as though in a camp? For neither there doth the king always appear bearing his proper dignity, but laying aside the purple and the diadem, he often disguises himself in the garb of a common soldier. But there it is, lest by being known he should draw the enemy upon himself; but here on the contrary, lest, if He were known, He should cause the enemy to fly from the conflict with Him, and lest He should confound all His own people: for His purpose was to save, not to dismay.

  

4. For this reason he hath also straightway called Him by this title, naming Him Jesus. For this name, Jesus, is not Greek, but in the Hebrew language it is thus called Jesus; which is, when interpreted into the Greek tongue, “A Saviour.” And He is called a Saviour, from His saving His people.

  

Seest thou how he hath given wings to the hearer, at once speaking things familiar, and at the same time by these indicating to us things beyond all hope? I mean that both these names were well known to the Jews. For, because the things that were to happen were beyond expectation, the types even of the names went before, in order that from the very first all the unsettling power of novelty might be taken away. Thus he is called Jesus, who after Moses brought the people into the land of promise. Hast thou seen the type? Behold the truth. That led into the land of promise, this into heaven, and to the good things in the heavens; that, after Moses was dead, this after the law had ceased; that as a leader, this as a King.

  

However, lest having heard the word Jesus, thou shouldest by reason of the identity of the name be perplexed, he hath added, “Jesus Christ, Son of David.” But that other was not of David, but of another tribe.

  

5. But wherefore doth he call it a “book of the generation of Jesus Christ,” while yet this book hath not the birth only, but the whole dispensation? Because this is the sum of the whole dispensation, and is made an origin and root of all our blessings. As then Moses calleth it the book of heaven and earth, (Gen. ii. 4) although he hath not discoursed of heaven and earth only, but also of all things that are in the midst thereof; so also this man hath named his book from that which is the sum of all the great things done. For that which teems with astonishment, and is beyond hope and all expectation, is that God should become man. But this having come to pass, all afterwards follows in reasonable consequence.

  

6. But wherefore did he not say, “the Son of Abraham,” and then “the Son of David?” It is not, as some suppose, that he means to proceed upward from the lower point, since then he would have done the same as Luke, but now he doth the contrary. Why then hath he made mention of David? The man was in the mouths of all, both from his distinction, and from the time, for he had not been so very long since dead, like Abraham. And though God made promises to both, yet the one, as old, was passed over in silence, while the other, as fresh and recent, was repeated of all. Themselves, for instance, say, “Doth not Christ come of the seed of David, and out of Bethlehem, the town where David was?” (John vii. 42) And no man called Him Son of Abraham, but all Son of David; and that because this last was more in the recollection of all, both on account of the time, as I have already said, and because of his royalty. On this principle again all the kings whom they had in honor after his time were named from him, both by the people themselves and by God. For both Ezekiel (Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24; xxxvii. 24, 25; Jer. xxx. 9; Hos. iii. 5) and other prophets besides speak of David as coming and rising again; not meaning him that was dead, but them who were emulating his virtue. And to Hezekiah He saith, “I will defend this city, for mine own sake and for my servant David’s sake.” (2 Kings xix. 34) And to Solomon too He said, that for David’s sake He rent not the kingdom during his lifetime. (1 Kings ii. 11, 12, 13). For great was the glory of the man, both with God and with men.

  

On account of this he makes the beginning at once from him who was more known, and then runs up to his father; accounting it superfluous, as far as regards the Jews, to carry the genealogy higher up. For these were principally the persons held in admiration; the one as a prophet and a king, the other as a patriarch and a prophet.

  

7. “But whence is it manifest that He is of David?” one may say. For if He was not sprung of a man, but from a woman only, and the Virgin hath not her genealogy traced, how shall we know that He was of David’s race? Thus, there are two things inquired; both why His mother’s genealogy is not recited, and wherefore it can be that Joseph is mentioned by them, who hath no part in the birth: since the latter seems to be superfluous, and the former a defect.

  

Of which then is it necessary to speak first? How the Virgin is of David. How then shall we know that she is of David? Hearken unto God, telling Gabriel to go unto “a virgin betrothed to a man (whose name was Joseph), of the house and lineage of David.” (Luke i. 27) What now wouldest thou have plainer than this, when thou hast heard that the Virgin was of the house and lineage of David?

Hence it is evident that Joseph also was of the same. Yes, for there was a law, which bade that it should not be lawful to take a wife from any other stock, but from the same tribe. And the patriarch Jacob also foretold that He should arise out of the tribe of Judah, saying on this wise: “there shall not fail a ruler out of Judah, nor a governor out of his loins, until He come for whom it is appointed, and He is the expectation of the Gentiles.” (Gen. xlix. 10).

  

“Well; this prophecy doth indeed make it clear that He was of the tribe of Judah, but not also that He was of the family of David. Was there then in the tribe of Judah one family only, even that of David, or were there not also many others? And might it not happen for one to be of the tribe of Judah, but not also of the family of David?”

  

Nay, lest thou shouldest say this, the evangelist hath removed this suspicion of thine, by saying, that He was “of the house and lineage of David.”

  

And if thou wish to learn this from another reason besides, neither shall we be at a loss for another proof. For not only was it not allowed to take a wife out of another tribe, but not even from another lineage, that is, from another kindred. So that if either we connect with the Virgin the words, “of the house and lineage of David,” what hath been said stands good; or if with Joseph, by that fact this also is proved. For if Joseph was of the house and lineage of David, he would not have taken his wife from another than that whence he himself was sprung.

  

“What then,” one may say, “if he transgressed the law?” Why, for this cause he hath by anticipation testified that Joseph was righteous, on purpose that thou mightest not say this, but having been told his virtue, mightest be sure also that he would not have transgressed the law. For he who was so benevolent, and free from passion, as not to wish, even when urged by suspicion, to attempt inflicting punishment on the Virgin, how should he have transgressed the law for lust? he that showed wisdom and self-restraint beyond the law (for to put her away, and that privily, was to act with self-restraint beyond the law), how should he have done anything contrary to the law; and this when there was no cause to urge him?

  

8. Now that the Virgin was of the race of David is indeed from these things evident; but wherefore he gave not her genealogy, but Joseph’s, requires explanation. For what cause was it then? It was not the law among the Jews that the genealogy of women should be traced. In order then that he might keep the custom, and not seem to be making alterations from the beginning, and yet might make the Virgin known to us, for this cause he hath passed over her ancestors in silence, and traced the genealogy of Joseph. For if he had done this with respect to the Virgin, he would have seemed to be introducing novelties; and if he had passed over Joseph in silence, we should not have known the Virgin’s forefathers. In order therefore that we might learn, touching Mary, who she was, and of what origin, and that the laws might remain undisturbed, he hath traced the genealogy of her espoused husband, and shown him to be of the house of David. For when this hath been clearly proved, that other fact is demonstrated with it, namely, that the Virgin likewise is sprung from thence, by reason that this righteous man, even as I have already said, would not have endured to take a wife from another race.

There is also another reason, which one might mention, of a more mystical nature, because of which the Virgin’s forefathers were passed over in silence; but this it were not seasonable now to declare, because so much has been already said.

  

9. Wherefore let us stay at this point our discourse concerning the questions, and in the meanwhile let us retain with accuracy what hath been revealed to us; as, for instance, why he mentioned David first; wherefore he called the book, “a book of the generation;” on what account he said, “of Jesus Christ;” how the birth is common and not common; whence it was that Mary was shown to be from David; and wherefore Joseph’s genealogy is traced, while her ancestors are passed over in silence.

  

For if ye retain these things, ye will the more encourage us with respect to what is to come; but if ye reject and cast them from your mind, we shall be the more backward as to the rest. Just as no husbandman would care to pay attention to a soil which had destroyed the former seed.

  

Wherefore I entreat you to revolve these things. For from taking thought concerning such matters, there springs in the soul some great good, tending unto salvation. For by these meditations we shall be able to please God Himself; and our mouths will be pure from insults, and filthy talking, and reviling, while they are exercising themselves in spiritual sayings; and we shall be formidable to the devils, while arming our tongue with such words; and we shall draw unto ourselves God’s grace the more, and it will render our eye more piercing. For indeed both eyes and mouth and hearing He set in us to this intent, that all our members may serve Him, that we may speak His words, and do His deeds, that we may sing unto Him continual hymns, that we may offer up sacrifices of thanksgiving, and by these may thoroughly purify our consciences.

  

For as a body will be more in health when enjoying the benefits of a pure air, even so will a soul be more endued with practical wisdom when nourished in such exercises as these. Seest thou not even the eyes of the body, that when they abide in smoke they are always weeping; but when they are in clear air, and in a meadow, and in fountains and gardens, they become more quicksighted and more healthy? Like this is the soul’s eye also, for should it feed in the meadow of spiritual oracles, it will be clear and piercing, and quick of sight; but should it depart into the smoke of the things of this life, it will weep without end, and wail both now and hereafter. For indeed the things of this life are like smoke. On this account also one hath said,“My days have failed like smoke.” (Ps. cii. 3) He indeed was referring to their shortness of duration, and to their unsubstantial nature, but I would say that we should take what is said, not in this sense alone, but also as to their turbid character.

  

For nothing doth so hurt and dim the eye of the soul as the crowd of worldly anxieties and the swarm of desires. For these are the wood that feedeth this smoke. And as fire, when it lays hold of any damp and saturated fuel, kindles much smoke; so likewise this desire, so vehement and burning, when it lays hold of a soul that is (so to speak) damp and dissolute, produces also in its way abundance of smoke. For this cause there is need of the dew of the Spirit, and of that air, that it may extinguish the fire, and scatter the smoke, and give wings to our thoughts. For it cannot, it cannot be that one weighed down with so great evils should soar up to heaven; it is well if being without impediment we can cleave our way thither; or rather it is not possible even so, unless we obtain the wing of the Spirit.

  

Now if there be need both of an unencumbered mind, and of spiritual grace, that we may mount up to that height; what if there be none of these things, but we draw to ourselves whatever is opposite to them, even a satanical weight? how shall we be able to soar upwards, when dragged down by so great a load? For indeed, should any one attempt to weigh our words as it were in just balances; in ten thousand talents of worldly talk he will scarcely find an hundred pence of spiritual words, or rather, I should say, not even ten farthings. Is it not then a disgrace, and an extreme mockery, that if we have a servant, we make use of him for the most part in things necessary, but being possessed of a tongue, we do not deal with our member so well even as with a slave, but on the contrary make use of it for things unprofitable, and mere makeweights? And would it were only for makeweights: but now it is for what are contrary and hurtful and in no respect advantageous to us. For if the things that we spoke were profitable to us, they would assuredly be also pleasing to God. But as it is, whatever the devil may suggest, we speak it all, now laughing, and now speaking wittily; now cursing and insulting, and now swearing, lying, and taking false oaths; now murmuring, and now making vain babblings, and talking trifles more than old wives; uttering all things that are of no concern to us.

  

For, tell me, who of you that stand here, if he were required, could repeat one Psalm, or any other portion of the divine Scriptures? There is not one.

  

And it is not this only that is the grievous thing, but that while ye are become so backward with respect to things spiritual, yet in regard of what belongs to Satan ye are more vehement than fire. Thus should any one be minded to ask of you songs of devils and impure effeminate melodies, he will find many that know these perfectly, and repeat them with much pleasure.

  

10. But what is the answer to these charges? “I am not,” you will say, “one of the monks, but I have both a wife and children, and the care of a household.” Why, this is what hath ruined all, your supposing that the reading of the divine Scriptures appertains to those only, when ye need it much more than they. For they that dwell in the world, and each day receive wounds, these have most need of medicines. So that it is far worse than not reading, to account the thing even“superfluous:” for these are the words of diabolical invention. Hear ye not Paul saying, “that all these things are written for our admonition”? (1 Cor. x. 11)

  

And thou, if thou hadst to take up a Gospel, wouldest not choose to do so with hands unwashed; but the things that are laid up within it, dost thou not think to be highly necessary? It is because of this, that all things are turned upside down.

  

For if thou wouldest learn how great is the profit of the Scriptures, examine thyself, what thou becomest by hearing Psalms, and what by listening to a song of Satan; and how thou art disposed when staying in a Church, and how when sitting in a theatre; and thou wilt see that great is the difference between this soul and that, although both be one. Therefore Paul said, “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” (1 Cor. xv. 33) For this cause we have need continually of those songs, which serve as charms from the Spirit. Yes, for this it is whereby we excel the irrational creatures, since with respect to all other things, we are even exceedingly inferior to them.

  

This is a soul’s food, this its ornament, this its security; even as not to hear is famine and wasting; for “I will give them,” saith He, “not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.” (Amos viii. 11)
  

What then can be more wretched? when the very evil, which God threatens in the way of punishment, this thou art drawing upon thine head of thine own accord, bringing into thy soul a sort of grievous famine, and making it the feeblest thing in the world? For it is its nature both to be wasted and to be saved by words. Yea, this leads it on to anger; and the same kind of thing again makes it meek: a filthy expression is wont to kindle it to lust, and it is trained to temperance by speech full of gravity.

  

But if a word merely have such great power, tell me, how is it thou dost despise the Scriptures? And if an admonition can do such great things, far more when the admonitions are with the Spirit. Yes, for a word from the divine Scriptures, made to sound in the ear, doth more than fire soften the hardened soul, and renders it fit for all good things.

  

11. In this way too did Paul, when he had found the Corinthians puffed up and inflamed, compose them, and make them more considerate. For they were priding themselves on those very things, touching which they ought to have been ashamed, and to have hid their face. But after they had received the letter, hear the change in them, of which the Teacher himself hath borne witness for them, saying on this wise: for “this very thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge.” (2 Cor. vii. 11) In this way do we bring to order servants and children, wives, and friends, and make our enemies friends.

  

In this way the great men too, they that were dear to God, became better. David, for instance, after his sin, when he had had the benefit of certain words, then it was that he came unto that most excellent repentance; and the apostles also by this mean became what they did become, and drew after them the whole world.

  

“And what is the profit,” one may say,“when any one hears, but doeth not what is said?” No little will the profit be even from hearing. For he will go on to condemn himself, and to groan inwardly, and will come in time also to do the things that are spoken of. But he that doth not even know that he hath sinned, when will he cease from his negligence? when will he condemn himself?

  

Let us not therefore despise the hearing of the divine Scriptures. For this is of Satan’s devising; not suffering us to see the treasure, lest we should gain the riches. Therefore he saith that the hearing the divine laws is nothing, lest he should see us from the hearing acquiring the practice also.

Knowing then this his evil art, let us fortify ourselves against him on all sides, that being fenced with this armor, we may both abide unconquered ourselves, and smite him on the head: and thus, having crowned ourselves with the glorious wreaths of victory, we may attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.

Source: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.ca/2008/12/forefeast-of-christs-nativity-i-st-john.html

Τα Τίμια Δώρα Λιβάνι, Σμύρνα και Χρυσό

Το Λιβάνι ήταν ένα άρωμα που χρησιμοποιούσαν οι Ιουδαίοι και σαν δώρο συμβόλιζε πως ο Χριστός θα γινόταν αγαπητός.
Το χρυσάφι ήταν το αγαθό των Βασιλιάδων, πράγμα που συμβόλιζε την ιδιότητα ως Βασιλιά που έχει ο Χριστός για τους Χριστιανούς.
Η Σμύρνα ήταν άρωμα που τοποθετούσαν στους νεκρούς για να μυρίζουν ωραία, πράγμα που συμβόλιζε πως ο Χριστός θα υπέφερε και θα πέθαινε.
Λιβάνι κοινώς λιβάνι η λιβανωτός: αρωματική ελαιώδης ρητίνη του δένδρου βοσουελλίας της καρτερεί-ου, πού φύεται στις αμμώδεις εκτάσεις της Αραβίας, της Σομαλίας, των Ινδιών και του Λιβάνου. Χρησιμοποιήθηκε σαν θυμίαμα για κοσμική και λατρευτική χρήση από τα πανάρχαια χρόνια (Αιγύπτιοι, Βαβυλώνιοι, Εβραίοι).
Μύρα κοινώς μύρον ή μύρρα: αρωματική υδατοδιαλυτή ρητίνη του φυτού μύρρας της κομμιοφόρου και άλλων συγγενών πού φύονται στην Αραβία και την Αιθιοπία.
Στα δώρα των μάγων δόθηκαν οι εξής συμβολισμοί σε σχέση με τον Χριστό:

ο χρυσός ως τιμή σ' αυτόν ως τον νέο βασιλιά του κόσμου

το λιβάνι ως Θεό

η σμύρνα ως αυτόν που θα θυσιαζόταν για χάρη των ανθρώπων
Η σημασία των Δώρων
Στο εδάφιο 2:

Πού είναι αυτός που γεννήθηκε, ο βασιλιάς των Ιουδαίων;
Επειδή, είδαμε το αστέρι του στην ανατολή, και ήρθαμε για να τον προσκυνήσουμε (2:2).

Στο εδάφιο 11:

Και όταν ήρθαν στο σπίτι, είδαν το παιδί μαζί με τη Μαρία, τη μητέρα του, και
πέφτοντας κάτω το προσκύνησαν, και ανοίγοντας τους θησαυρούς τους,
του πρόσφεραν δώρα, χρυσάφι και λιβάνι και σμύρνα (2:11).

Προσκύνησαν αφού άκουσαν τον βασιλιά, αναχώρησαν, και ξάφνου, το αστέρι, που είχαν δει στην ανατολή, προπορευόταν απ' αυτούς, μέχρις ότου, φτάνοντας, στάθηκε επάνω εκεί όπου ήταν το παιδί. Και καθώς είδαν το αστέρι, χάρηκαν με χαρά υπερβολικά μεγάλη (Ματθαίος 2:9-10). Προσκύνησαν με την καρδιά τους.

Του πρόσφεραν Δώρα βασιλικά. Προσφέρουν αυτό που λατρεύουν, τα εργαλεία τους, τα όπλα τους. Το λιβάνι και η σμύρνα, ήταν τα πιο ακριβά μυρωδικά καρυκεύματα, σε όλη τη Μέση Ανατολή και τη Μεσόγειο. Το χρησιμοποιούσαν για θυσίες σε τελετές που έκαναν, στους ναούς τους, ή για να πάρουν χρησμούς. Υπάρχουν αρκετά βαβυλωνιακά κείμενα που βεβαιώνουν αυτό.

Τα δώρα τους ήταν φόρος υποτέλειας, ήταν τα όπλα τους, αυτό που θεωρούσαν πιο σημαντικό και το λάτρευαν. Στην Παλαιά Διαθήκη όταν ο βασιλιάς Εζεκίας, έδειξε στους Βαβυλώνιους τους θησαυρούς του και στους θησαυρούς υπήρχαν κατά πάσα πιθανότητα αυτά τα τρία (Β΄ Βασιλέων 20:13)

Τα δώρα των μάγων δεν ήταν δώρα για μωρό.
Συμβόλιζαν την προσκύνηση και υποταγή τους στο νέο βασιλιά.
Ήταν μια θυσία. Θυσίαζαν αυτό που πριν λάτρευαν.
Η μόνη κατάλληλη θυσία για το βασιλιά Χριστό, που δείχνει την αλλαγή στη ζωή μας, είναι να θυσιάσουμε αυτό που λατρεύουμε πριν πάμε στο Χριστό.
Οι μάγοι με την ελάχιστη γνώση τους, έστω έψαξαν και βρήκαν τον Ιησού.

Και θα με ζητήσετε, και θα με βρείτε, όταν με ζητήσετε με όλη σας την καρδιά
(Ιερεμίας 29:13)

 Ανεκτίμητο κειμήλιο της Ιεράς Μονής Αγίου Παύλου

 
Τα Τίμια Δώρα είναι χρυσός, λίβανος και σμύρνα

O χρυσός βρίσκεται υπό την μορφή εικοσιοκτώ επιμελώς σκαλισμένων επιπέδων πλακιδίων, ποικίλων σχημάτων (παραλληλογράμμων, τραπεζοειδών, πολυγώνων κτλ.) και διαστάσεων περίπου 5 εκ. χ 7 εκ. Κάθε πλακίδιο έχει διαφορετικό σχέδιο πολύπλοκης καλλιτεχνικής μικροεπεξεργασίας.

O λίβανος και η σμύρνα διατηρούνται ως μείγμα υπό την μορφή εξήντα δύο περίπου σφαιρικών χανδρών μεγέθους μικρής ελιάς.

Φυλάσσονται με ιδιαίτερη επιμέλεια στο θησαυροφυλάκιο της Ιεράς Μονής Αγίου Παύλου. Για λόγους ασφαλείας είναι κατανεμημένα σε διάφορες λειψανοθήκες, μόνο μέρος δε αυτών εκτίθεται για προσκύνηση των επισκεπτών της Ιεράς Μονής ή μεταφέρεται προς αγιασμό εκτός Αγίου Όρους στις κατά τόπους Ιερές Μητροπόλεις.
Γράφει ο Ευαγγελιστής Λουκάς για την Παναγία ότι
«διετήρει πάντα τα ρήματα ταύτα εν τη καρδία αυτής» (Λουκ. β' 19, 51).

Πιστεύεται από τους θεολόγους ερμηνευτές ότι ένα μεγάλο μέρος από αυτά τα «ρήματα», τα λόγια και τα γεγονότα δηλαδή της ζωής του Κυρίου, η Θεοτόκος τα εκμυστηρεύθηκε στον Άγιο Απόστολο Λουκά ο οποίος και τα συμπεριέλαβε στο Ευαγγέλιο του.
Παράλληλα με τα άγια «ρήματα» του Κύριου, η Υπεραγία Θεοτόκος «διετήρει» και ότι άλλο σχετικό με την επίγεια ζωή του Κυρίου και τα Τίμια Δώρα.

Σύμφωνα με την ιστορικοθρησκευτική μας παράδοση, πριν την Κοίμηση της η Παναγία Μητέρα του Κυρίου τα παρέδωσε μαζί με τα Άγια Σπάργανα του Χριστού, την Τίμια Εσθήτα και την Αγία Ζώνη της στην Εκκλησία των Ιεροσολύμων οπού και παρέμειναν μέχρι το έτος 400 μ.Χ. περίπου.

Κατά το έτος αυτό ο αυτοκράτορας Αρκάδιος τα μετέφερε στην Κωνσταντινούπολη για αγιασμό του λάου και προστασία και προβολή της Βασιλεύουσας.

Εκεί παρέμειναν μέχρι και την άλωση της πόλης από τους Φράγκους το έτος 1204 μ.Χ. Στη συνέχεια μεταφέρθηκαν για λόγους ασφαλείας μαζί με αλλά ιερά κειμήλια στη Νίκαια της Βιθυνίας, προσωρινή πρωτεύουσα του Βυζαντίου, όπου και παρέμειναν για εξήντα περίπου χρόνια.

Με την υποχώρηση των Σταυροφόρων επί αυτοκράτορος Μιχαήλ Παλαιολόγου επεστράφησαν στην Κωνσταντινούπολη μέχρι την υποδούλωσή της στους Τούρκους το 1453 μ.Χ.

Μετά την Άλωση η Μάρω, χριστιανή σύζυγος του σουλτάνου Μουράτ Β' (1421-1451) και μητρυιά του Μωάμεθ Β' του Πορθητού, τα μετέφερε αυτοπροσώπως στην Ιερά Μονή Αγίου Παύλου στο Αγιο Όρος.
Η Μονή αυτή της ήταν γνωστή αφού ο πατέρας της Γεώργιος Βράγκοβιτς, δεσπότης της Σερβίας, έκτισε το καθολικό της προς τιμή του Αγίου Μεγαλομάρτυρα Γεωργίου του Τροπαιοφόρου.

Κατά την αγιορείτικη παράδοση
καθώς η Μάρω ανέβαινε από τον αρσανά (λιμάνι) στην Μονή, η Κυρία Θεοτόκος την εμπόδισε με υπερφυσικό τρόπο να πλησίασει στη Μονή και έτσι να παραβίασει το άβατον του Αγίου Όρους.
Αυτή υπάκουσε και παρέδωσε ταπεινά τα Τίμια Δώρα στους μοναχούς και πατέρες, οι όποιοι και έστησαν στο σημείο εκείνο της θεομητορικής παρουσίας ένα Σταυρό πού σώζεται μέχρι σήμερα και λέγεται «Σταυρός της Βασιλίσσης».
Το σουλτανικό έγγραφο με τις σχετικές πληροφορίες παραδόσεως των Τιμίων Δώρων φυλάσσεται στο αρχείο της Μονής του Αγίου Παύλου.

Two Babies in a Manger...

In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls, who had been abandoned, abused,and left in the care of a government-run program were in the orphanage.


They relate the following story in their own words: It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time,the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger. Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word.


Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city. Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel [cut from a worn-out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia], were used for the baby's blanket.


A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States. The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among
them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6-years-old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger.


Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately -- until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger. Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, "And when Mary laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay.


I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with Him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give Him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept Him warm, that would be a good gift. "So I asked Jesus, 'If I keep you warm,will that be a good enough gift?' And Jesus told me, 'If you keep Me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave Me.'


So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and He told me I could stay with Him -- for always." As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks.
Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him -- for always!