The Nativity of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ - January 7

God created man after His own image and placed him in Paradise. Everything went well until man was tempted by God's enemy, the devil, and fell into sin by transgressing God's commandment. By this, so-called original sin, man not only separated himself from God but brought upon himself the greatest punishment: death of the body, which was to follow by death of the soul. It looked as if the devil had triumphed and God's purpose in making man had been defeated. But God decided to save the world, He promised to send His own dear Son into the world to undo the devil's work, to pay the debt for man's sin, and to reinstate him in his proper place.

During a period of 5,508 years God prepared mankind for the birth of His Son, in man's likeness. Then, when the people's hearts were feeling more and more the need of a Saviour, He was born in Bethlehem as Jesus Christ.

The Biblical story of Christ's Nativity is well known. Joseph and Mary, descendants of King David, lived in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee. In those days there went out a decree from the Roman Emperor Augustus that a census be made of all the people belonging to the Roman empire for taxing regula­tions. Joseph and Mary had to go to the Judean city of Bethlehem, the city of David, to be counted, in obedience to the Emperor's command. Coming late ID Bethlehem, there was no room for them in the inn, and humbly they went for the night into an empty stable where the shepherds herded their flocks when the weather was bad.

At midnight in this lonely cave the Virgin Mary gave birth to a Son - Jesus Christ. Thus, the prophecy of Micah (5 : 1-2) was fulfilled: "For He Who was born in the humble stable became the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14 : 6).

At the time of Christ's birth, there were in nearby fields shepherds, to whom it pleased God to reveal the fact of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. An Angel of God appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. They were frightened but the Angel said: "For unto you is born this day in the city of Bethlehem a Saviour, Which is Christ the Lord; you shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger" (Luke 2 : 8-12). And at that moment a whole multitude of Angels appeared glorifying God, singing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men" (Luke 2 : 14).

When the Angels went back to Heaven the shepherds hastened to Bethlehem and found the Blessed Mary, and Joseph, and the Infant - Jesus. They glorified and praised the Lord. Having seen God's work fulfilled, they went out and told everybody they met what they had been told by the Angel and what they had seen with their own eyes in Bethlehem.

We, as Christians, also have cause to praise God for this great goodness in giving us a Saviour, His only Son - Jesus. Though we have not seen Him, as the shepherds did, we know and believe that He came into this world, preached the Gospel of Salvation, suffered and died for our sins and that after His Resurrection, He is continually with us, through the Holy Spirit, assisting us in our salvation.

The Nativity of Jesus Christ is celebrated by our Eastern Orthodox Church on the 25th of December (Julian Calendar), which comes on January 7th of the New - Gregorian Calendar.