A Blessed Declaration of Hope

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"Then the angel said to them...'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people'" (Luke 2:10).

Beloved Brethren,

Today, as we celebrate the divinely designed, heavenly orchestrated, glorious birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must remember that the birth of our Lord carries the same message today as it did more than 2000 years ago. That important, most meaningful message had brought and still brings good tidings and spreads great joy. In this hectic, complex world of today with its constant media barrage, unstable economic markets, political controversy and unending talks of wars and more wars, the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ most certainly brings a peaceful, calming, comfort and unending encouragement for hope.

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8).

The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is an affirmed and confirmed declaration of hope. The coming forth of the Lord originated and instilled faith in nature, content within families and simple openness among people, thus establishing and blessing in Itself the promise of hope equally well to those present at the Lord's birth as well as to those of us generations later since the perfect fulfillment of the Law. The teachings the Lord Jesus Christ has brought to this world still stand today; His ancient yet modern messages offer solutions to present problems and answers to questions in all walks of life with the underlying declaration of goodwill toward men.

The angel announcing the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed...

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14).

Irenaeus (c.180) stated, "The Lord Himself, who is Emmanuel from the virgin is the sign of our salvation. It was the Lord Himself who saved them, for they could not be saved by their own instrumentality."

Eternal salvation is hope. The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ conceived a hope that continues to dwell within us today. The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ created a hope that is eternal and everlasting. St. Clement of Alexandria so eloquently addressed the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, "The apostolic Scripture speaks in this manner, 'after that, the kindness and love of God our Savior to man APPEARED, not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us.' Behold the might of a NEW SONG! It has made men out of stones and out of beasts! Furthermore, those who were as dead (since they were not partakers of the true life) have come to life again!" (c. 195).

Because of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, St. Paul tells us in the Holy Book, II Corinthians 5:1-10 that surely we will experience suffering in our earthly bodies but because of His blessed birth and willingness to come to earth we can look forward to a Heavenly Home, a Heavenly life, and a Heavenly body in Heaven. A great hope this is and one that can be attributed to the Glorious Nativity.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal" (II Corinthians 4:16-18).

In the Holy Book of Revelation (12:1-2) we read of the greatness of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and from the Nativity, the birth not only of the Messiah but of the Church the birth brought about.

"Now a great sign appeared in Heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth."

In this Holy Scripture we see a birth bringing hope, putting the great and wondrous signs together in concert to represent the perfect symbol of the Mother Church. Many Biblical scholars concur that the woman figuratively represents the Theotokos; the perfect symbol of our beloved Church, adorned with all the splendors this world can offer her blessedness. The garland of twelve stars could very well represent the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve disciples. The moon under her feet symbolizes her role over creation by having given birth to the One True Son. This woman will bear other children as well which most scholars believe it to be a reference to new members added to the Church.

Such wonderful love, such amazing grace, such constancy of care, can only instill within each one of us a well spring of optimistic hope for the future which is as it was at the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and as it should be today.

When we reflect upon the Glorious Feast of the Holy Nativity, we reflect on hope itself , which is eternal and permanent. Hope is for us now and for the future of those who believe in the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. At all times, past and present Hope has never been the end of all things but rather a new beginning of wonderful promises for those who love and obey the Lord.

Let us pray to the Incarnated Christ our God, the good, the long suffering, the abundant in mercy who loves the righteous and has mercy on the sinners whom I am chief; who does not wish the death of the sinner but rather that he returns and lives, who calls all to salvation for the promise (THE HOPE) of the blessings to come.

A blessed Glorious Feast of the Holy Nativity joyfully celebrated with hope-- to you all,

Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States