Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ; The Ten Holy Martyrs of Crete (249-51)
Nativity Fast. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today. The Royal Hours are celebrated today after Matins. Abstention from meat and foods that contain these ingredients.
Read Isaiah 9:6-7
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today during the Royal Hours, the Old Testament prophecy of the ninth hour comes from the prophet Isaiah. We read two verses, the first one saying: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6).
As we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Nativity of our Lord, we should contemplate the mystery set before us. God becoming man—the mystery of the Incarnation—was a gift to us in God’s plan for our salvation. Our Heavenly Father sent His only-begotten Son to us as a gift.
In the book of Genesis, we read how Sarai was barren. After God established a covenant with Abram and his descendants, he renamed Abram, “Abraham,” and Sarai, “Sarah.” God promised to bless Sarah and give Abraham a son by her who would be named Isaac (see Gn. 16-17). Abraham loved Isaac, but God put Abraham to the test to see if he would be willing to sacrifice his beloved son on Mt. Moriah. The Lord blessed Abraham saying: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Gn. 22:16-18). This promise was fulfilled in Jesus being born as a descendant from Abraham’s seed. Like how Abraham offered his beloved son, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). Isaac was spared being sacrificed as God provided a ram as a substitution. However, the Son of God was not spared but rather freely offered Himself to die so that Death might be conquered. The immortal One accepted death so that we might one day rise with Him.
This Friday as we pray the Royal Hours, fast, and otherwise prepare ourselves to celebrate Christmas, let us pause to appreciate the priceless gift the Father has freely given us: His only-begotten Son.