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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20231229
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SUMMARY:Vigils Readings - 5th day in Christmas Octave
DESCRIPTION:WHY CHRIST HAD TO BE BORN \nFrom the missionary letters of St Nikolai Velimirovich \n◊◊◊ \nYou have asked why Christ had to be born\, grow and be tormented? Why \ndid he not suddenly appear out of the Heavens in the form of a grown man\, like \nApollo does in Hellenic fairy tales? A completely inappropriate comparison! \nHow can one compare a true man with a phantom and the true man with made- \nup monsters? \nAs much as heaven is above the earth\, so much is the wisdom of God \nbeyond the reason of man. According to the wisdom of the Most High\, Christ \nhad to come into the world as a child and as a youth and as a mature man\, so \nthat He could be accessible to everyone and gain everyone. Had He never been \na child\, His words would have been pale and cold – \n“Let the children come to \nme and forbid them not\, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” And also the \nother saying\, \n“Indeed I say to you\, if you do not return and become as children\, \nyou will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” \n… \nChrist could have undoubtedly appeared to the world as you imagine. But \nhad He done that\, He could not have been for the human race what He wanted \nto be\, that is\, the Teacher and Savior of all\, and an example to all generations. \nA thought torments you. You think that the Lord has magnified the \nmystery of His being for our reason by His unusual birth. But would His \nmystery not be far greater and less comprehensible had He suddenly appeared \namong men\, outside of any kinship with them? Would the world then not talk \nof Him as of an apparition? In that case\, His person\, and along with it His \nteaching and sacrifice\, would lose their true foundation and true meaning. For \nif He had been an apparition\, who would listen to and imitate an apparition? \nThe Lord also had to be born\, exactly in the way in which He was\, in order \nto show us the possibility and point out the importance of our spiritual rebirth\, \nwhich is in the center of His teaching about man. According to His word\, “If \none is not born again\, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” As He was born of \nthe Holy Spirit from the body of Mary the Virgin\, so can we be spiritually born \nof the Holy Spirit in the purity of our soul. Great Orthodox elders have always \ntaught that the rebirth of a man is conditioned by a virginal purity of the soul. \nIn other words\, souls which completely cleanse themselves\, even from impure \nthoughts\, come to resemble the pure Virgin\, and are deemed worthy by God’s \ngoodwill to become the habitation of Christ. If Christ’s birth from the Virgin \nMary is not easily comprehended by the human mind\, it is fantastically \nbeneficial and inspiring for all those who desire a spiritual and mortal rebirth \nof their being. \nSo\, be at peace and thank the eternal Wisdom that the Savior of mankind \nhad appeared as He Himself thought it was best. And exclaim with Apostle \nPaul\, “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and understanding of God! \n  \n6 Saint Nikolai Velimirovich. Missionary Letters of Saint Nikolai Velimirovich. Trans. Hierdeacon Serafim. Grayslake\, IL: \nNew Gracania Monastery\, 2008. 177-179.13 \n  \n 
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-readings-5th-day-in-christmas-octave/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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