Holy Priest-Martyr Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk (1623). John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria (619). Nil the Faster (430). Passing into Eternal Life (1950) of Blessed Hryhoriy (Gregory) Lakota, Auxiliary Bishop of Peremyshl and Confessor.
All-Night Vigil Feast. A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
Hebrews 4:14-5:10. John 10:9-16.
Read Hebrews 4:14-5:10
As we prepare to enter the Nativity Fast, today’s reading from Hebrews 4:14-5:10 invites us to reflect on humility through Christ’s kenosis—His self-emptying love. In becoming human, Christ took on our nature with all its limits, feeling our struggles, our temptations, yet remaining without sin. Fully God and fully man, He chose to walk among us, not as a distant God, but as a compassionate High Priest who knows our lives intimately.
The Christian understanding of kenosis reveals that Christ didn’t hold onto His divine glory; instead, He took on our humanity completely. This act of humility is an invitation for us to come to Him without fear, trusting that He understands and walks with us. Christ’s self-emptying shows us the way to live as we prepare for His Nativity—through humility and simplicity.
In this fast, we’re called to a small imitation of Christ’s humility. Fasting isn’t just about what we give up; it’s about what we allow God to form within us. As we let go of distractions and focus on prayer, we prepare ourselves to welcome Him with open hearts, unburdened by the things that often fill our thoughts. By following this path, we’re saying, “Lord, help me become more like You.”
As we look toward the mystery of His birth, may our fasting and prayers help us to receive the gift of His love with the humility that He showed us, ready to be transformed by His presence. Let us take some time over the next few days to reflect on those things that fill and burden our thoughts, that distract us and pull us away from God. Let this nativity fast, become an opportunity to shake loose some of those bad habits that lead us to sin, and an opportunity to renew our baptismal oath to unite ourselves with Christ.