Vigils Reading

THE FESTIVAL

OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE

From a homily by St Basil the Great

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The star came to rest over the place where the Child lay. When they saw it,

the Wise Men were filled with great joy. Let us also welcome that joy of theirs

into our own hearts, for it is the same as the glad tidings which the angels

proclaimed to the shepherds. Let us worship the Lord with the Wise Men,

glorify him with the shepherds, and join in the angels’ chorus, singing: This day

is born to us a Savior who is Christ the Lord. The Lord is our God, and he has

shone upon us. For fear of terrifying the weak he would not dazzle our eyes by

appearing in the form of God, but he came to us as a servant, in order to set free

what was held in bondage.

Who could be so dull of heart, so ungrateful as not to rejoice, be glad and

exult with all here present? This is the festival of the whole universe, for it pours

out on earth the blessings of heaven, sending the archangels to Zechariah and to

Mary, and assembling the angelic choirs for their song: Glory to God in the

highest, and on earth peace, good will among all.

The stars traverse the skies; the Wise Men journey from pagan lands,

while the earth receives its Redeemer in the cave. There must be no one without

some gift to offer, no one unmindful of the gratitude he owes. Let us celebrate

the world’s salvation, the day Christ was born in our humanity, for today Adam’s

sentence is reversed.

No longer can it be said, You are earth, and to the earth you shall return

; rather, “You are now united to heaven, and to heaven you shall be admitted”.

Now we no longer hear, In sorrow you shall bring forth your children, since

happy is she who bore Emmanuel, and happy is the breast which has nursed

him. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and sovereignty shall be

upon his shoulder.

Come then, and join those who gladly welcomed the Lord from heaven.

Think of the shepherds now clothed with wisdom, the priests blessed with the

gift of prophecy, and the women, Mary and Elizabeth, filled with happiness, the

one rejoicing at Gabriel’s message, the other at John’s leaping in her womb.

Think of Anna proclaiming the good news and Simeon holding the child in his

arms. Adoring the mighty God in the tiny infant, they did not despise what they

saw but praised his divine majesty. Like light shining through clear glass, the

power of the Godhead shone in radiance through that human body for those

whose inner gaze was pure.

May the Lord grant us also to be counted among them, so that beholding

his radiance with unveiled face, we may be transformed from glory to glory by

the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be honor and

power for ever and ever. Amen.