The Nativity of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ Epistle of the Permanent Conference of Ukrainian Orthodox Bishops Beyond the Borders of Ukraine

Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ 2013

To the Venerable Clergy, Monastics and Faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church beyond the Borders of Ukraine and to our Brothers and Sisters of the Faith in Ukraine,

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. (Isaiah 9:2)

These words were spoken long ago to people living in anxiety, fear, and despair, people feeling bereft of security, safety and any sense of God’s presence. We hear them early on Christmas, forgetting that they were first spoken hundreds of years before the birth we are celebrating. Human beings throughout our planet still yearn to know that a more gracious and divine reality is active and evident in our lives.

The Nativity, or as it is often referred to – Christmas – is here! The season has come and, with it, many joyous moments. However, what is the real meaning of the Nativity? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and greetings of “Merry Christmas” to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really what the Nativity is? For many people, the Nativity Feast is a time of sorrow. They do not have the ability to buy gifts for their children, family and friends. Many are saddened at Christmas time when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home to join in the festivities. A turkey or ham dinner may be only a wish and not a possible reality for some.

Yet, the Nativity Feast can be a season of great joy, especially if we remember that God is showing His great Love for us through it. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to be incarnate – to become one of us. His Nativity brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary Child. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over the cave in Bethlehem to mark the way for those who were searching for this special Child.

The Nativity is also a season for reflection: What is it about Christmas that draws people together? Why do we go to our grandmother’s house for a big dinner or visit family and friends who we see but once a year to exchange presents? Why do we attend one Christmas party after another with people we do not really know? Whatever the reason, it should cause us to reflect deeply about the fact that no one wants to be alone at Christmas. Christmas has become a time for gift-giving. Gifts are a sign of the love and friendship people have for one another. At the same time, gift-giving, and perhaps the expectation of gifts, can get out of hand. The desire for the latest fashion or gadget can become more important than the friendship a gift symbolizes. Sometimes people judge friendships more by the value of the gifts they are given rather than the value of the person who gives it to them. This is a dangerous path to tread – one which can lead to the breaking down of relationships and the cause of loneliness when we want most to not be alone.

Jesus Christ comes as Saviour for all, not just for a select few. His Nativity is God’s proclamation that we all matter and that we belong to Him and to one another. The message of His Nativity was first announced to shepherds – those people living on the margins of society and often not trusted by others. The angels proclaimed, “Glory to God on High and peace and good will amongst all people” enabling strangers to become friends and enemies to be reconciled. In that journey towards friendship and the recognition of our common humanity, we discover a freedom which enables us to live in peace with one another and to have respect for every individual and every culture.

Our Saviour teaches us that mercy, forgiveness, joy, peace and justice are all possible realities and not to be found only in our dreams. They are possible realities because it is Christ born in Bethlehem Who is true mercy, forgiveness, joy, peace and justice. These are the genuine gifts of Christmas, presented abundantly to us by the One, Whose humble nativity we joyfully celebrate. Our prayer for you, for your families, for our parish communities and for our entire world is that these gifts are received with pure hearts, minds and souls and that you will unwrap and quickly share them with others – perhaps even those you may not know in order that they too can discover what it truly means to be “home for Christmas.” Most incredibly, when we share these gifts they are replaced almost more quickly than we can give them away.

When you are on your way to Christmas dinner, or to visit family and friends, or to exchange gifts, or to attend another Christmas party or to church to offer praise and gratitude to God on one of the Nativity Holy Days, pray for everyone you greet. Think about how they might come to know what you already believe through those prayers – that God is at home with us and we are to be at home with him, not in a dream, but in reality through the love of Jesus Christ. May we always live as though we truly hold this to be true all the days of our life.

CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!

With Archpastoral Blessings,

† YURIJ, Metropolitan

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

† ANTONY, Metropolitan

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
Locum Tenens of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Diaspora

† IOAN, Archbishop

Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Diaspora

† JEREMIAH, Archbishop

Ukrainian Orthodox Eparchy of Brazil and South America

† ILARION, Bishop

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

† ANDRIY, Bishop

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

† DANIEL, Bishop

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA