Today Christians of Eastern Orthodox tradition celebrate Christmas Day. And there is no more iconic passage of scripture plumbing the depths of divine incarnation than the first chapter of John’s gospel. As affirmed over these last few days of our western church’s Christmas season, the cosmic dimension of God’s salvation remains incomprehensible. Notwithstanding, the Nicene Creed, common to western as well as eastern churches, boldly attempts to comprehend the divine wisdom of God’s eternal Word
Formulated during the fourth century CE, around the same time Christmas first began to be celebrated, gathered bishops from across the Roman Empire (including the original Saint Nicholas, according to some legends), reached their theological consensus concerning God’s Word made flesh: “We believe in Jesus Christ?eternally begotten?incarnate?truly human? crucified?suffered death?rose again?”
The Christ child born in Bethlehem, the Son of God and son of Mary, embodies all the infinite passion of God’s self-giving love, the very source of all life and creation, supremely manifest in the divine humanity of the crucified and risen Jesus of Nazareth, who liberates us from death to eternal life in the glorious majesty of God’s everlasting light
Merry Christmas!
Eternal God, fill us with the grace and truth of your incarnate Word, that we may reflect the light of your presence in the darkness of the world around us and within us. Amen. — PL