The story of Christ’s birth speaks to us about the mysterious ways of God. The Triune God acts in ways that we do not always expect! His ways are truly wonder-filled. For centuries, the Ancient Israelites had expected the Messiah. The prophets, especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, called the people to readiness and openness to God’s actions. Their message provided the people with indications about the coming Messiah.
Category Archives: Advent / Christmas
A Sense of Wonder
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The Magi and the Infant Jesus
~ (Bishop) Themistocles Adamopoulos
In the nativity account according to the Gospel of Matthew we read that when Jesus was born an astronomical event occurred – the appearance of a unique star in the east! As a consequence, Magi arrived in Herodian Jerusalem, from the East, inquiring about a “new-born king”; for whom they had come to offer worship, follow the star to Bethlehem and offer expensive gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant Jesus:
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying. . .
“Where is he was has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him” ( Matthew 2:1-2)
” . . and lo, the star, which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9) Continue reading
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What is the Good News?
And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid, far I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people” (Luke 2:10)
What is the good news? In the Nativity story, the Angels gave the message, “For to you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11)
What does that mean to us? Continue reading
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The Great Banquet of Christ’s Birth
For Orthodox Christians, life is the experience of entering ever more deeply into the many and eternal banquets of Christ. The banquet of His love that we feast upon when we discover and convert to Him in our hearts. The banquet of repentance, where the Father makes merry when we return to Him, we prodigal sons and daughters. The banquet of His Holy Body and Blood that is offered to us every Sunday, the Lord’s day – His banquet that we are called to weekly. The banquet of the fasts and feasts of the Church. And the greatest banquet of all! The feast spread out at the table of Christ’s Second Coming when we will enter into the eternal feast of Paradise and when the righteous anger of the Householder will call to account those who rejected His invitation. Continue reading
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St Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church 