Eve of the Nativity of Christ; The Holy Venerable-Martyr Eugenia
Nativity Fast. Strict Fast. Abstention from meat and dairy and foods that contain these ingredients. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Our reflection for today is based on the Epistle reading of the Ninth Hour, Hebrews 2:11-18.
Read Hebrews 2:11-18
One of the central elements of our Christian faith that continues to blow me away is the reality that the pre-eternal Word of God took on human flesh and became one of us.
Ponder for a moment the vastness of the heavens, the millions upon millions upon millions of lightyears from one end of the universe to the others, the amazing beauty that exists on earth. All of that is but nothing in comparison to the grandeur and glory of God.
And this God, so grand and glorious, sent His only-begotten and pre-eternal Son to our world to become one of us to free us from the tyranny of sin and death. And not only did He become one of us, He became like us, experiencing even suffering and temptation, so that He could truly identify with us.
I cannot put into words how spectacular and amazing this is. All I can do is be in a state of awe and thankfulness for our God whose mercy endures forever.
The Son of God and we, ultimately, have the same source: the Father. Yes, Christ is eternal and we are not, but we find our ultimate source and destination in the Father. This Christmas, offer humble thanksgiving to God for sending His Son, Who humbled himself to become one of us so that we could know Him and be one with Him.