Archbishop Elpidophoros of America / To the Venerable and Theophilist High Priests, the Venerable Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Community Councils, the Most Reverend Lords of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the members of the Leadership of 100, Day and Afternoon Schools, the Philoptochus Brotherhoods, the youth, the Greek Orthodox Organizations and the entire staff of the Holy Archdiocese of America.
"Behold, the virgin in the womb has six and is giving birth to a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel,
ὅ ἔστι μεθερμηνευόμενον μεθ ̓ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός» (Matthew. 1:23).
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Indeed, God is with us! God becomes a man like us and enters the history of humanity to reveal his will! This is the Christmas message for the whole human family. The birth of the Savior in the flesh in Bethlehem is an event of global scope, which is recognized by cultures throughout the length and breadth of the earth, although sometimes the true meaning of the holiday is lost. The holy days of Christmas are overwhelmed by the spirit of consumerism, so that some consider that the sanctity of the holiday is overlooked. However, the sanctity and significance of Christ's birth is lost, nor is it overlooked, because the sun of justice, who arose with the resurrection of the Lord, but it sets in the age. But let us praise God and for this the spirit of offering and exchanging gifts even among people who do not believe, because this is a reminder to all of us of God's great gift to us, which is the infant god, our Lord Jesus Christ himself.
This is exactly it, my beloved Christians, the truth of Christmas, that our salvation is due to the "made in the cave and turned over in the horses' manger"! The "divine birth of Christ" in the small town of Bethlehem is the absolute condescension of God, interfering in the history of the world. God empties himself, as the apostle Paul notes in his letter to the Philippians: "But he emptied himself in the form of a handmaiden, being made in the likeness of men, and being found in the form of a man, he humbled himself by becoming a subject unto death, but of death on the cross" (To Philip. 2:7-8).
God empties himself, so as to make us beings full of grace and wisdom! God becomes a complete man apart from sin, tasting death, so that we may find "the way of salvation and eternal life". God offers his only begotten son as a gift to creation, a great gift that we hardly understand with our logic. In fact, it is the same mission of the church, as the body of Christ, which shows God's infinite love for all creation and is ultimately God's true call to all of us!
So, my beloved brothers, Let us sing "Christ is born."! You glorified!» with hearts prepared to receive the divine infant! May we continually renew our generosity to others this holy season, accepting what our brothers can offer, inspired by the "former babe of Bethlehem".
Jesus is born! You glorified!
† the American Hopeful