O great mystery and admirable [wonderful] sacrament.
That animals see the Lord born
Lying in a manger.

Blessed virgin whose viscera [i.e. womb]
Were worthy to bear Lord Christ.
Alleluiah.
- Magnum Mysterium

The Feast of the Nativity

Before the morning star
I begot thee from the womb.
The Lord hath sworn and will not repent:
Thou art a priest forever,
After the order of Melchizedek.
O Son of God, who art born of a virgin,
Save us who sing unto thee:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Sometimes it is the ancient texts that speak wisest. The above, and following texts come from the Orthodox Feast of the Nativity. In them we find a theological perspective that encompasses all of Christmas – the birth of Christ, the giving of God’s son to mankind, the role of Mary, Theotokos (God-bearer), and the foreshadowing of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Hath shined upon the world the light of knowledge;
For thereby, they that worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to worship thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know thee,
The Dayspring from on high.
O Lord, glory be to thee.
Troparion of Nativity.

For it is Christ who is the true Morningstar – it is he who gives hope, not in the light of one day, but in light for eternity. Christ has come to redeem us from the darkness of this world, and from our own sins.

The virgin brings forth today
The omnipotent One,
And the earth offers a cave
to the Unapproachable One.
Angels give glory with Shepherds,
And the magi journey with the Star;
Since for our sakes was born as a new babe He,
Who is from eternity God.

How often we forget the paradox of the Nativity! That one so mighty could be born in such paltry circumstances. That God, who dwelt in the Most Holy Place in the temple, came willingly into the arms of a young man and woman. We live the paradox daily: God who created all that is, who lives in a temple not made with hands, dwells amongst us, and in us through the Incarnation. God the unapproachable, became Emmanuel, God with us.

Let all the earth worship Thee and sing to Thee!
Let them sing unto thy name!
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing forth the honor of his Name!
Make his praise Glorious!

I wonder what would happen if we really understood the magnitude of the Nativity miracle. I wonder if our praise would ever end!

O my soul, magnify Her,
Who is more honorable
And who is more glorious
Than the Heavenly Hosts.
A mystery I behold
Which is strange and wondrous.
The cave (stable) is heaven,
And the Virgin the throne of the Cherubim;
In the confines of the manger
Is laid the infinite Christ our God,
Whom we praise and magnify.

What is it that made Mary so honorable? Was it her character that was unmatched by others? Somehow I think that it was more than that – What makes Mary honorable is that she said “Yes" to God – and that in doing so she became the very bearer of God.

What is God asking of us? Are we willing to say Yes, even when the request will cost us greatly? Are we willing to be pierced, as Mary’s soul was pierced, in order to behold what God has for us and for this world?

The Lord hath sent redemption,
The Lord hath sent redemption
To his People,
To His People.
He hath enjoined His covenant for ever
Holy and terribly is His name.

REJOICE! For no matter what trials await us, no matter what this life holds for us, a Savior, Christ the Lord is Born! His birth ushers in the Morning – the new Day of God’s favor for all. In the midst of all joy, all pain, all sorrow – Christ is there to wait with us, to comfort us, and finally to give us life everlasting in the presence of God. This is the gift of Christmas.

Debra’s Midweek Meditation
Isaiah 9:2-7

9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. 9:6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

It's not quite Christmas.

And yet our waiting for the Christ child has now reached a fever pitch of anticipation.
Maybe it looks like shopping and cooking and wrapping and decorating but it is really moving toward light.
We are busy, we are distracted, we are anxious, a few of us may even be anticipating January when we can leave the frenzy behind.

However, today is the day the Lord has made.
This moment is the place you will find God.
Right now open your own heart to the God who is here and to await the child who is coming.
Our God is timeless and infinite-
both Savior and child-
both present and transcendent.

But we are finite, and so we find, that as we accept our humanity God comes to greet us.
It is the nativity of the soul-
each moment is longing to become the birth of Christ within us.
A cathedral is a finite structure meant to mediate the infinite reality of God,

Today create a cathedral within your own heart.

Blessings,
Debra

Daily Morning Prayer:
http://www.episcopalchurchingarrettcounty.org/churchonthewebpage.htm

This Week at St. James:

Sunday: 8:00 and 10:15 Advent IV Holy Eucharist; 10:15 Rehearsal for Family Christmas Eve Pageant; 5:00 Family Christmas Eve service in St. James Center; 10:00 SJ Choir presents Bach’s Magnifcat; 11:00 Traditional Christ Mass
Monday: 10:00 Christmas Day Holy Eucharist
Wednesday: 8:30 Healing Eucharist

Coming January 4th: Join us for a trip to Washington National Cathedral to see the annual Creche exhibit. For more information, contact Loree+ in the church office.

Prayers Etc.

We pray for those who are suffering during this season.
For Marion Norman, and her family.
For those who have suffered loss.
For those who are deployed and their families.
For those on our prayer list:
Mac; Otis; Don; Tony; Pam; Dot
Sue; Ray; Prof; Art W.; David; Don
Brittany; Jaedon; Bill ∓ Stacey; Phyllis U.; Owen
Nancy; Jason; Craig; Lagan Family; Becker Family
Annabelle; Rob; Parker Family
For Laura and Lyle.

REJOICE, you who feel that you are lost; your Savior comes to seek and save you. Be of good cheer, you who are in prison, for he comes to set you free. You who are famished and ready to die, rejoice that he has consecrated for you a Bethlehem, a house of bread, and he has come to be the Bread of Life to your souls. Rejoice, O sinners everywhere, for the restorer of the castaways, the Savior of the fallen, is born
- C. H. Spurgeon, "Joy Born at Bethlehem"

In Closing:

God and Father of Jesus,
On this holy night
You give us your son,
The Lord of the universe
And the savior of all peoples,
As an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
And lying in a manger.

In the first moments of his life
You showed us the paradox of your love.

Open us up to the mystery of his powerlessness
And enable us to recognize him…
This we ask in his name,
He who lives and reigns with you
And the Holy Spirit,
One God for ever and ever.
- Mass at Midnight

May the Peace of Christ be with you!

Pax et Bonum,
Loree+

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