Prepare O Bethlehem - Shepherds Keeping Watch

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When the Lord Jesus was born of the holy virgin, 

The whole universe was filled with light. 

The shepherds watched in the fields. 

The wise men worshiped and the angels sang. 

But Herod was troubled, 

For God appeared in the flesh. 

He is the Savior of our souls! 

- Stikhera on Lord I Call vesperal, Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

If we ever go to mountainous regions of North India, we would be blessed to see lush green valleys with lots of sheep grazing around and shepherds keeping watch over their flock. Shepherds have a difficult road. Sheep need constant care and attention, and lots of food and water. They also have to be shorn regularly so that their coats so not get too thick. The shearing process is tedious, taking lot of manual labor and patience. The shorn will then has to be sent to the local miles for processing where it is turned into scarves, hats, sweaters, blankets and other textile products. Shepherding is not a high paying job, many shepherds supplement their jobs with farming or some other line of work.

While we may live in a modern society, the art of shadowing has seldom changed throughout the time. During Jesus' time, shepherding was a job for the poor. It takes vigilance, patience and lots of work. Interestingly, according to Luke, the angels first announce the glad tidings of the birth of the Savior to shepherds keeping watch in the fields. Thus, the Gospel first comes to the poor and lowly shepherds of Israel. 

However, shepherds are not always portrayed in the best of light in the Scriptures. The prophet Ezekiel speaks against the shepherds of Israel, who are considered leaders of the people, for not taking care of their flocks:

The word of the Lord came to me, "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, thus says the Lord, 'You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with wool, you slaughter the fatlings, but do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them'. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beats. My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them." (Ezekiel 34:1-4)

Ezekiel continues as he blames the shepherds for the woes of the poor and the destitute and blames the leaders for neglecting to take care of them. In other words, the shepherds are too busy taking care of themselves rather than taking care of those under their charge. 

This theme of shepherding is also developed within the New Testament. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is called the "good Shepherd", the one who leads His flock to pasture and who protects the flock even if it means sacrificing His own life. As a good Shepherd, Jesus cares for His flock as the shepherds in Ezekiel could not: "I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep" (John 10:11-13). While there are many shepherds, there is only one good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. One of the shortest, but also most comforting of the Psalms, is Psalms 23 where God Himself is referred to as a shepherd:

The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want; He makes me lie down on green pastures. 

He leads me beneath still waters; He restores my soul. 

He leads me in paths of righteousness For His name's sake 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil;

For Thou are with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff 

They comfort me. 

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies 

Thou anointest my head with oil. 

My cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. 

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. 

This Psalm is comforting to many people who are in distress, especially during times of sorrow and grief. The Psalmist speaks of the shepherd as leading, restoring and comforting, words which bring solace to people who are hurt. 

However, the Scripture also speak of the shepherding in terms of judgement. In Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, the king will separate the sheep from the goats, as a shepherd routinely does in order to keep his flock safe. The reality is that the good Shepherd, the Son of God, will come with ultimate power and authority to execute His divine judgement in the world. 

We are not told whether the shepherds in the birth narratives are good or bad, just that they were in their fields keeping watch over their flock. Luke tells us that they are the first ones to hear the good news. This child is the messiah of God who comes to bring peace and justice in the world. He will grow up to be the "good Shepherd" who leads His followers to the Kingdom and who rules with justice and equity, so that the "increase of His government and of Peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over His kingdom to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore" (Isaiah 9:7). The ultimate message is that this Christ child, who is born in Bethlehem, will also bring His peace and justice to the entire world.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Prepare O Bethlehem - We Are Family

When we are children, we are all interested in knowing our family heritage. Who are we, where are we from, who all are there in our extended family, where did our family come from, and many other questions. These are some basic questions about family origins which have been asked for millennia. People across the globe have looked to their past in order to explain how they arrived in their present situation. 

On the Sunday before we commemorate the Nativity of our Lord, we hear a reading from the Gospel of Luke which includes a long list of names in Jesus' family tree, or a "genealogy". The Old Testament contains many genealogies, especially in 1 -  2 Kings and in 1 Chronicles 1 -  9. These lists identify someone within the larger family tree together with extended family and their offspring. 

In the New Testament, we have two different genealogies, in Matthew 1:1-17 and the other in Luke 3:23-38. Luke begins with Joseph and traces the lineage of Jesus back to the first man Adam, while Matthew begins with Jesus and traces his family through the lineage of both the great King David and through Abraham, the first patriarch. Luke's genealogy includes only men, while Matthew includes both men and women. Matthew and Luke wrote their genealogies for different purposes, and therefore, we should not be surprised that there are differences between the two genealogies. Jesus did not appear from just anywhere, but was from a specific family and was born in a particular time and place with a particular family. The prophet Isaiah alludes to the root of Jesse in his prophecies to Israel, which are also read aloud during the services of Nativity of the Lord:

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. Thou has multiplied the nation, Thou has increased its joy; they rejoice before Thee as with joy at the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. From the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, Thou has broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the trampling warriors in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, hoon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this" (Isaiah 9:2-7).

Isaiah also says that all nations will bow down and worship God, because He is faithful to His word and will not allow Israel's enemies to subdue them (Isaiah 11:15). Isaiah spooks of a messiah who will bring both peace and justice, as the ox and lamb lie together so too well the messiah bring enemies together. Isaiah's prophesy was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus who brings the eternal peace of God to both Jew and Gentile, slave and free, man and woman. 

Matthew also mentions King David in the genealogy. King David was also one of the greatest and most beloved kings of the Old Testament. In his youth, David was a shepherd boy and musician who slew the giant Goliath. He was the youngest of Jesse's eight sons and was anointed a king by Prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 16:10-13. See also 2 Sam. 5:1-5).

As King, he led the Israelites in battle and provided justice and equity among the people. The Book of Psalms is attributed to him. In the New Testament, Jesus is often mentioned in connection with King David (Matt. 9:27, Luke 18:38, John 7:42, and 2 Tim. 2:8). However, King David also had a dark side; he fell into sin after he had Uriah sent to his death on the battlefield so that he could also with Uriah's wife Bathsheeba. Yet, even though David did a terrible thing, he repented and was obedient to God. 

Matthew also links Jesus with the first patriarch Abraham, who is mentioned three times in the birth narratives (Matt. 1:1, 2, 17). Abraham is an important person in the Old Testament, because the covenant promise was first given to him that he would be the father of all nations (Gen. 12:1-3. See also Isaiah 19:24, Acts 3:25-26, Romans 4:13). Abraham is important, because it is through his offspring that God will provide His blessing. Thus, God fulfills His promise-covenant through Abraham. 

While Matthews genealogy clearly connects Jesus with both the kingly Davidic line and with the Abrahamic covenant, Matthew also includes four noteworthy women in Jesus' family: Rahab, Ruth, Tamar and Mary. Rahab was a harlot from Jericho who helped the two spies escape the city of Jericho (Joshua 2:1-24); Ruth was a Moabite who lived among Israelites (Ruth 1:1-5); Tamar was a Canaanite woman who disguised herself as a prostitute in order to seduce Judah (Gen. 38:1ff); and Mary was an unwed bride who bore Jesus. All of these women were strong yet also provided opportunities for God to work His salvation through their actions. These women were also obedient and faithful to the Lord. Ruth remained close to her mother in law Naomi when Naomi's son died; Tamar married Judah who later became one of the great leaders of the southern Kingdom; and Mary accepted the angel's message that she would bear the son of God. 

Matthews genealogy shows us that Jesus' family was certainly a very mixed crew. Jesus' family included all types of people: political leaders, kings, queens, gentiles, sinners, not to mention murderers, harlots, liars, and other unsavory types of people. Perhaps, Matthew is trying to tell us that Jesus comes from a very human family, not very different from families like ours. Yet, it is their this human family that God chooses to bring His salvation. The biblical God wants His salvation through the sinners and outsiders on the margins of society, especially the poor, widow, orphan and outsider. Jesus comes to those who are not accepted in society and shows His love in concrete ways. He eats with sinners, speaks with outsiders and is a friend of harlots. Jesus goes out of His way to welcome those in society whom no one else will welcome. He provides us with the best example of how to show hospitality to strangers. One of Jesus' names attributed to Him in the birth narratives is Emmanuel, which means, "God with us". During the Christmas Season, we are reminded that God is truly with us and finds His home in our strange human family. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

(Ref: Icon shows the Root of Jesse bringing forth King David, from whom Solomon comes forth and then Mary, the Theotokos and Jesus from Mary, surrounded by all the prophets)

Prepare O Bethlehem - Joseph, A Dreamer and Just Man

When in bed Joseph thought painfully how to save the virgin from the danger of scandal. Then from heaven came Gabriel, the God sent angel in a dream. He informed that Mary is conceived by the Holy Ghost and the child is the son of God. Joseph when he rose from his sleep bowed with anxiety before the Virgin and said in a loud voice, I do respect you and your son. The father who sent the son to show the right path to all castes is blessed (Matthew 1:20-25). (Translation of the Catholic Hymn sung on the day commemorating the Annunciation to Joseph).

Dear bothers and sisters in Christ Jesus

As we prepare to welcome the Incarnate God into our lives this Christmas, let us continue on our series by learning about Joseph.

Outside the birth narratives, Joseph is mentioned only a few times, generally in reference to Jesus, Mary and the town of Nazareth. (Read Luke 4:20-22, Mark 6:1-6, John 1:25, 6:42. Please also refer to Matthew 13:53-58, John 19:19, Acts 2:22, 3:6, 4:10, 6:14, 10:38, 22:8, 26:9).

We do not know much about Joseph other than what the Gospels tell us. He was from the line of David, he was a Carpenter, and he lived in Nazareth with Mary. Furthermore, Matthew tells us that an angel announces the good news to Joseph that his wife will bear a son:

"Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." And this took place to fulfill what the Lord has spoken by the prophet, "Behold,  a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called His name Jesus" (Matthew 1:18-25).

We commemorate the Annunciation to Joseph on the second Sunday of December. According to Matthew, Joseph has two more dreams - one where the angel warns Joseph that Herod is seeking to kill the child Jesus, and another where the angel tells Joseph that it is now time to return home (Read Matthew 2:19-20).

Dreams were very common throughout the Old Testament. For example, King Solomon is asked by the Lord in a dream what he wished to have. When Solomon asks for wisdom, the Lord grants him his wish and in addition gives him wealth and power (1 Kings 3:5-15). The text goes on to say that upon rising from sleep, Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings in the temple for all the people. Likewise, Jacob had a dream at Bethel where he saw a ladder that reached far into the heavens and angels ascending and descending on it. Then, the Lord told Jacob in the dream that He would bless Jacob and his descendants and that He would never leave Jacob (Read Genesis 28:10-17).

Not only are visions and dreams abundant in the Old Testament but also dream interpretation. While dreams are considered important, it is even more important to understand the meaning of these dreams. Daniel becomes the interpreter of dreams at the court of Nebuchadnezzar and foretells his demise (Dan. 2:36-45).

Matthews description of Joseph, Mary's betrothed, is highly reminiscent of Joseph in the Old Testament, who was considered the man of dreams. He was the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel (Gen. 30:24, 35:24, and 1 Chronicles 2:2) and was envied and hated by his brothers in part because of his dreams (Read Gen. 37:5-12).

Joseph played an important role in the story as well.  He was a rather ordinary man, who had extraordinary faith.  In Orthodox Tradition, we hold that Joseph was an elderly man, who had been widowed.  He had children from a previous marriage, (they are referred to as Jesus’ brothers and sisters who in reality were half-brothers and half-sisters, see Matthew 13: 55-56).  And he worked as a carpenter; a rather ordinary life.

Joseph was a just man, and the Gospel tells us, that he did not want to put Mary to shame, so he resolved to divorce her quietly.  Joseph had extraordinary faith.  Imagine the conversation when Mary told him that she was pregnant.  Here she had been raised in the temple.  They were engaged but not married.  And now his betrothed was pregnant and the baby was not his.  What faith he must have had in Mary, to believe that she was pregnant in a way no human being could become pregnant, by the Holy Spirit.  And what faith he must have had in God to assume the role of caretaker for an unmarried woman who risked being scorned by the society of the day.  He had the same risk as well.  He had a job, he had friends, he had a reputation, and all those things he was willing to put on the line because of his faith.

Joseph's role in the birth of Jesus according to Matthew is prominent. He is a "just man" and obedient to the word of God. Joseph doubts the truthfulness of his wife's pregnancy, just as Moses doubts his role as the law give and as Sarah doubts the conception of Isaac. Yet, Joseph like Moses and Sarah, remains faithful to the Lord, trusts in God's plan, listens to the word of God and follows it by taking his family and raising them in the town of Nazareth.

There are two lessons from the life of Joseph.  First, one can be a rather ordinary person and still make an extraordinary spiritual contribution.  Joseph was not a priest, was not really learned (he had a trade, not a career), was not a member of the temple elite.  He wasn’t looking to play a big role when God tapped him on the shoulder.  Yet, he, too, like Mary, embraced his role.  You don’t have to have a lot of money, or fame or a great career in order to answer God’s call for your life.  And secondly, Joseph was willing to risk his comfort, his job, his friends and so much more in order to care for Mary and her (not his) unborn child.  Are we willing to do the same?  Joseph’s “Yes” to God was for a different thing than Mary.  But it was really no less important.  Because the story could not be complete without both of them.

An extraordinary person with little faith is rather ordinary in the eyes of God.  An ordinary person with extraordinary faith is extraordinary in the eyes of God.  What kind of faith do you have?  What kind of faith do you want to have?  If you were standing in the presence of God right now, how would HE describe your faith?

I would also like to venture to say that most of us do not have dreams like Joseph. If we did, I'm sure not many of our friends would believe us - they would probably send us to a doctor to get help! Conventional wisdom tells us that otherworldly visions and dreams are "ultra-spiritual" and mysterious and are wonderful ways to experience our faith. Yet, we cannot be certain that our dreams and visions are from God, after all, the Scriptures remind us that even the Devil can come to us as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Therefore, we should not dwell upon them. Many of our spiritual fathers say that if you have a spiritual vision of dream, do not tell anyone, just say a prayer, and forget about it. In other words, our faith is not in dreams and visions but in Jesus Christ (incarnated, crucified, buried, risen again and ascended into Heaven) who comes to us through His spoken Word in the Scriptures and in the liturgy of the Church. 

It is here, in the saving message of the Word of God, where we encounter the everlasting and life-giving good news of the Kingdom of we choose to listen. We must have open hearts so the seed of the Gospel can be planted in it. As Matthew says, the good soil receives the seed, and it takes root. Hopefully, the Word will take root in our hearts and grow abundantly.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Prepare O Bethlehem - Mary

"Peace to Mary. The Lord is with you. Gabriel said that you are a jewel among the women. In you we can see God. You carried Him in your stomach, who carried the world." (Translation of Hoothomo that is sung at the dismissal after the Holy Qurbana)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus 

In the Gospel reading we heard on Sunday, we heard the angel Gabriel bringing a very astounding news to Mary. She who is a girl betrothed to be married will bear a son who is to be called Jesus, the Son of the Most High. And this will happen through the Holy Spirit. And Mary submits herself to the plans of the Most High God. 

Mary has been a subject for many poets, artists, sculptors, writers and theologians. In our homes, more than anyone else, we find icons of Mary adorning our walls. Songs and hymns have been dedicated in her honor, and churches, seminaries, monasteries and shrines have been erected in her blessed memory. Miracles have been ascribed to her intercessions, and special services and prayers are written for her. She is known as the Queen of Heaven, the Mediatrix and, most importantly, the Theotokos. 

Liturgical hymns speak of her as the flower that bore the fruit, the Golden censor, the New Jerusalem, the ewe that bore the lamb, and her womb is said to be more spacious than the heavens. She is said to be more honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim. Her memory is invoked at every liturgical service. Mary is certainly very special to Christians and will always be remembered for being the mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. During the Christmas Season, she is officially commemorated on December 26th, which is called Praises (Synaxis)  of the Theotokos. 

God’s grand plan for our salvation involved incarnating the Word of God into the flesh, for God to become like one of us.  And this would happen in a way that was both miraculous and understandable.  The understandable part was that He would come into the world as a new-born baby.  The miraculous part was that the conception would be by the Holy Spirit, an immaculate conception.  And a woman would bear God’s Son in her womb and give birth to Him.  So, God would bring His Son into the world through one of us.

The Virgin Mary was the woman that God selected for this task.  Tradition says that she was born in a miraculous way to elderly parents named Joachim and Anna.  When she was three years old, she was taken to the temple by her parents and given to the service of the Lord.  After being raised in the temple for ten years, she found herself living in a small town called Nazareth, where she was betrothed (engaged) to a man named Joseph.

It is however very ironic, that while Mary is very prominent in the birth narratives, she is only mentioned a few times in the entire New Testament. While her name is never specifically mentioned, she intervened at the first miracle that Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee where Jesus changed water into wine (See John 2:3-5). Jesus who was not ready to perform a miracle, performs a miracle out of obedience to His mother. He performs the miracle which is the first of series of miracles in the Gospel of John. 

In Luke 8:19-21, she is mentioned together with Jesus' family. She is also mentioned by the evangelist John as one of the persons standing at the foot of the cross together with John the beloved disciple (See John 19:25-27). In the Book of Acts 1:14, Mary is with the other disciples in the upper room after Jesus ascended into heaven. The Apostle Paul in his letter to Galatians refers to her as the mother of Jesus, though does not specifically mention her by name (Gal. 4:4-7).

However, if we read the birth narratives carefully, we understand that she has a role, secondary only to that of Jesus. The Lord used her as His instrument of redemption and salvation. When Mary was called to give birth to the Savior of the World, we do not know if she answered with fear or with confidence. But we do know that she ANSWERED by placing herself as the handmaiden of the Lord. 

One of the most beautiful hymns in the Orthodox Church is the Magnifact. The Magnifact is taken directly from the first chapter of Luke's Gospel. When Mary visits Elizabeth, Elizabeth, who is already six months pregnant, realizes that Mary is carrying a very special child. She tells Mary, "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she so believed that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken of her from the Lord." 

Mary responded to Elizabeth with the following words:

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold all generations will call me blessed;
For He who is mighty has done great things for me
And Holy is His name
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation
He has shown strength with His arm
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts
He has put down the mighty from their thrones
And exalted those of low degree
He has filled the hungry with good things
And the rich He has sent away empty
He has helped His servant Israel
In remembrance of His mercy
As He spoke to our fathers
To Abraham and to his posterity forever." (Luke 1:46-55)

These words remind us of God's generous love toward His people. He exalts the humble and the lowly, and He brings down the mighty and the powerful, themes which are woven throughout the Old Testament. The Magnifact also echoes a very important Old Testament text which is found in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Here,the once barren Hannah offers a prayer to God in thanksgiving for bearing a son with her husband Elknah. Her son is not just any child, but Samuel who will grow up to be one of the first prophets of the Old Testament. Samuel also is the one who anointed David to be king. 

These are some of the lessons we learn from Mary. God calls everyone to something in his/her life. There is no one who is uncalled. Have you heard God's call in your life? Have you answered the call? How have you answered the call? 

Throughout the Scriptures, the biblical God uses the which is broken in the world as a tool for working out His salvation. He uses the barren Sarah in order to produce Isaac; Be uses an orphan Israelite child named Moses to be the giver of the Law; He uses a young virgin girl named Mary to bear the Word of God, and He uses the Pharisee Saul who persecuted Christians who later became the first among the Apostles. With God everything is possible. 

We also learn that just as Mary was part of God's plan for our salvation, we, too, are part of God's plan for our salvation God has provided the path to salvation.  He has even provided the means to go down the path—the church, the scriptures, the clergy, etc.  But we have to walk down the path ourselves.  We work in concert with God in order to attain salvation.

Mary is the model of what we are supposed to be, because she said YES to the call of God.  May we follow her example!  Mary is called Theotokos, meaning, “God-bearer.”  We are called to be the same!

"O Mary, Virgin, beautiful and daughter of David, I am unable to describe your history. O Mary, daughter of David, to those who are near and dear to you, bliss to all. O Mary, daughter of David, you are brought up by the priests and in maturity entrusted you to the Just Joseph. O daughter of David, you are a jewel among women. You are worthy of praise, the fruit of your womb is holy. O Mary, daughter of David, in your feast day, heaven and earth together rejoice. Your praise be a refuge to us." (Rough translation of the Catholic Hymn sung on day commemorated as Annunciation to the Mother of God)

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Prepare O Bethlehem - Elizabeth and Zechariah (St. Luke 1:5-38; 57-80)

"When Zechariah offered incense in the temple of Lord

An angel descended from heaven and conveyed a good news

That his wife will bear you a son and he should call him John.

He will be great among the Isreal.

He will give happiness to the whole world.

Because you did not believe the news, you will be mute till the child is born.

For nine months till the birth of John,

Zechariah was unable to speak."

- Catholic Hymn from the Holy Qurbana of the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church, sung when we commemorate the Annunciation to Zechariah

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus

Unlike Matthew, who begins his Gospel with the birth of Jesus, Luke begins with the birth of John the Baptist, the "voice of one crying in the desert" who comes to prepare the way of the Lord. St John is a prominent figure in all the four Gospels. He is described as being a prophet who calls people to repentance. We do not know anything about his childhood or youth, St Luke only tells us that his parents were Elizabeth and Zechariah.

We are told that Zechariah was married to Elizabeth, who was a daughter of Aaron. This small but important piece of information tells us that she was from the lineage of Aaron, who was from the tribe of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob and was known as the leader of the priestly tribe in Israel (see Deut 18:1-5, 21:5, 24:8, 2 Samuel 15:24).

Likewise, both Elizabeth and Zechariah were said to be righteous before God, walking in the commandments, and blameless (Luke 1:6). Furthermore, this birth would be a true miracle, since Elizabeth, like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Hannah, was well beyond her childbearing years. 

Just as we see in the story of Abraham and Sarah, where we see an angel foretelling a birth of a son to Sarah, so too an angel came and told Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth would bear him a son. This angel's name is Gabriel, the same Gabriel that comes to Mary later in the same Gospel. However, unlike Mary, who accepts the glad tidings, Zechariah doubts the truthfulness of the message, and as a result he is struck dumb (Luke 1:18). Later, after the birth of his son, Zechariah's mouth was opened, and he gave thanks and offered this prayer to God:

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy Prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; to perform mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the path which He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of Peace" (Luke 1:68-79).

Zechariah's prayer opens with a traditional Jewish way of prayer by blessing God for everything that He bestowed upon Isreal. Likewise, the reference to the horn is a reference to God's saving power. The horn was an ancient symbol of power and authority, especially during times of war and distress (Jer. 48:25). Zechariah also mentions great leaders in Isreal, such as King David and the first patriarch Abraham together with the prophets of old. God used these people in order to bring His saving leave to His chosen people just as He uses Elizabeth to give birth to John, who will later become the Baptist, and Mary, who have birth to Jesus.

The birth of John was certainly miraculous, something that neither Zechariah or Elizabeth expected. But, as with Abraham and Sarah, God works in miraculous ways, catches people off guard and tests their faith in the process. The Gospels reveal that nothing is beyond God's power. John is the voice crying in the desert preparing the way for the Christ, and it is he who also will "guide our feet into the way of Peace".

The preparation of the birth of Jesus begins with the Annunciation to Zechariah regarding the birth of John, who is truly the forerunner, and who came before Jesus to prepare the way for our salvation.

On a personal note, the Indian Orthodox Church commemorates only the Annunciation to Zechariah in the last Sunday and birth of John the Baptist is commemorated later on the first Sunday of December. But for purposes of addressing and understanding this whole theme, I have taken both of them together.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Prepare O Bethlehem - Introduction

Dear parents, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus 

As we entered this week, we start celebrating the Christmas season. The Christmas season is a wonderful time of the year. It is a time of gift giving, family gatherings, parties, winter vacations and many more celebrations. Christmas season reminds me of freshly baked cakes, decorations of home and Church. 

Yet, while we are generally preoccupied with planning and attending family gatherings, we also know that in the background we patiently awake the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and the Savior of the World. Sometimes Christmas comes and goes without much thought as we prepare for New Year's parties, and then the thought of returning back from our vacations fills our minds. Unfortunately, the "reason of the season" gets lost in the middle of Christmas shopping and the end of year related business.

The blog posts "Prepare O Bethlehem" is being written so that we can take a few moments out of our busy lives and reflect on the Scripture lessons of the Christmas season in order to make this feast a more meaningful time of the year.

According to the Orthodox Church calendar, the official name for Christmas is: The Nativity according to the Flesh of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, sometimes simply referred to as the Nativity. In addition to the celebration of Christmas on December 25, the Christmas season also includes the Circumcision and Naming of Jesus on January 1; the Baptism in the Jordan river, called the Epiphany or Theophany, on January 6; and the Entrance of the Lord into the Temple on February 2. These three feasts celebrate the gift of the Word of God who is fully revealed to us in the person of Jesus Christ. These feasts also reveal to us God's saving work in the world through His Son.

You might ask why should we take efforts to understand the traditions of the Orthodox Church and you might be tempted to see these feasts as mere historical events in the life of Jesus. However, if we carefully listen to the liturgical hymnography of the Church, we see that the Gospel of salvation is presented to us in another form. While Jesus did die 2000 years ago, He is very much alive in the world through the proclamation of the Gospel. Thus, Jesus is still alive and present for us today.

The hymns remind us that while Jesus Christ has already come in the flesh and was crucified for us and for our salvation, He also comes again as a child in the manger and in the Temple and as an adult in the River Jordan as a reminder of the great gift of our redemption and salvation. Today, we are saved through our faith in Him, and today, we rejoice in His baptism in the River Jordan. We know that even though He already came as an infant, He will also come again as the judge in order to bring God's justice to the world.

However, while we await His coming again, we also need to ponder the great mystery of His birth in the flesh. Jesus' birth is one of the most solemn feasts of the Church but which is also filed with great joy.

As with all liturgical seasons, we go through a time of preparation and anticipation for the feast; Pasha, or Easter is preceded by Great Lent, the Dormition or Falling Asleep of the Theotokos is preceded by the Dormition Fast, and Christmas is preceded by a Lenten period called Advent. In the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the period of Advent begins from December 1st and in the Eastern Orthodox Church it begins on November 15th, and concludes at the Divine Liturgy on the Christmas Day. Advent is derived from the Latin word "advenire", which means to come. During Advent, we prepare for the coming of the Lord.

The fear of Christmas continues for five more days as we remember the most holy Theotokos on December 26, the first martyr Stephen on December 27, and then the Holy innocents killed in Bethlehem on December 29. Then we encounter the feast of the Circumcision and Naming of Jesus on January 1, which then leads us to the Prefeast services of Epiphany,  or Theophany. In the feast of Epiphany, we prepare or anticipate the public announcement or manifestation of Jesus to the world. While at Christmas we celebrate the birth of the Messiah, at Epiphany we celebrate the beginning of His proclamation of the Kingdom.

The hymns sung emphasize that while the birth of Jesus is important, His baptism which is the beginning of His public ministry, is even more important. During the feast of Epiphany, the priest blesses water to commemorate the baptism in the Jordan, and to remind us that God continually blesses and sanctifies us through material things such as bread, wine, oil, fruit, flowers and water. We also have home blessings during the Epiphany season.

Finally, the Christmas season culminates with the celebration of the feast of the Entrance of the Lord into the Temple, which is also known as the Meeting of the Lord. This is celebrated on February 2, forty days after Christmas.

Because we are usually so busy and preoccupied with so many things during the holiday season, these feasts sometimes take a backseat to other holiday activities. Sometimes, we have to make difficult choices in life, and very often, Church may not always be high on our list. Hopefully, during this Christmas Season, we shall return to the Scriptures so we can know the truth, which is Christ Himself. The Scriptures are the source for our knowledge of the biblical God, His Son Jesus Christ and the life giving Spirit. In the upcoming blogs, I invite you to return to the Word of God, which leads us to know the Word who became flesh for us and for our salvation.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Reference : Prepare O Bethlehem - William C. Mills

The Jesus Prayer - Act - Out of the Stillness

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.

Dear all, in the previous session we understood that prayer though secret, can never be solitary. We tried to understand how we can intercede for others by invoking the Holy Name of Jesus. By the grace of God, let us now move forward...
There is a misunderstanding that needs to be dispelled. If we pray alone, with our eyes closed, saying repeatedly "... Have mercy on me", are we not being egotistic and self centered? Are we not evading our social responsibility and turning our back on the suffering of a broken world? Indeed, this is an objection that may be made not only against the Jesus Prayer, but against all forms of contemplative prayer.

An answer may be found in two aphorisms. The first is from St Seraphim of Sarov: " Acquire inner peace, and thousands around you will find salvation." The second is from the one time Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjold, in his spiritual diary 'Markings': "Understand - through the stillness; act - out of the stillness; conquer in the stillness."

"Acquire inner peace": that is exactly the aim of the Jesus Prayer. Yet this is not selfish, for itmakes us an instrument of peace to others. Because we have prayed the Jesus Prayer alone and in secret - it may be for no more than 10-15 minutes every day - then, during all the other mines and hours of the day, we shall be available to others, open to their concerns, loving and Christ-like, in a way that would otherwise be impossible.

Again, it is precisely the purpose of the Jesus Prayer to help us to " understand - through the stillness", so that we can then "act - out of the stillness". If our words and actions do not come out of the stillness of prayer, they turn out to be superficial and impotent. But if they have their source in stones, they can price words and actions of fire and healing. We cannot truly change the world unless we have ourselves been changed by prayer.

The Jesus Prayer is in this way not only a contemplative prayer, but a prayer that combines contemplation and action. It is a prayer that makes our contemplation active, and our action contemplative.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Reference: The Jesus Prayer - Bishop Kallistos Ware

Intercession and the Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Prayer may be secret, but it is never solitary. We cannot truly pray for ourselves unless, at least implicitly, we are also praying for others as well. There is in the strict sense no such thing as 'private' prayer, for we are always praying in and with the community of the total Church - which includes the living faithful and the departed faithful along with the gravely hosts. The Jesus Prayer is thus not only personal but corporate. Even when we are saying to Jesus, "... Have mercy on me", we are tacitly including in our prayer all those on whose behalf Jesus died and rose again. This is made much clearer when we use the form "... Have mercy on us".

Can we, however, use the Jesus prayer in a more direct way as a prayer of intercession, such as "... Have mercy on John ... Have mercy on Mary", mentioning by name those whom we have upon our heart? In and of itself there is nothing wrong about such a practice. But obviously it makes the Jesus Prayer into something different from what writers of old had in view when they spoke of Jesus Prayer as a 'putting away of thoughts', as a way of entry into inner stillness.

Fr Lev Billet, the " Monk of the Eastern Church" practiced the Jesus Prayer as a form of intercession in a particularly striking way. A small, vulnerable figure, poorly dressed, he used to wander through the streets of London during night hours, invoking the name of Jesus upon all those he passed, upon the homeless, the beggars, upon everyone in distress and moral danger. He wrote thus, "The name of Jesus is a concrete and powerful means of transfiguring others into their most profound and divine reality. Let us reach out toward the men and women whom we pass in the street, the factory or the office... If we see Jesus in everyone, if we say 'Jesus' over everyone, we will go through the world with a new vision and a new gift in our own heart."

May the Lord Jesus help us, in His grace, to intercede for others by invoking His name.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Reference: The Jesus Prayer - Bishop Kallistos Ware

The Sacraments and the Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Dear all, in the previous session we understood that the Jesus Prayer is not only Christological but Trinitarian. Let us now delve deeper into understanding the Jesus Prayer.

St Nicholas Cabasilas in the 14th century said thus: "It is the sacraments that constitute our life in Christ." How then does the 'way of the Name' relate to the mysteries of Baptism and the Eucharist?

One of the great teachers described prayer as "Baptism made manifest". Developing the point with reference to the Jesus Prayer, he explained that in Baptism we receive the indwelling presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is not possible to imagine any gift greater than this, nor can anything be added to it. Baptismal grace is complete and perfect. Initially, while receiving Baptism in infancy, we are unconscious of this indwelling presence. The whole purpose of the Christian life is to precisely experience actively this baptismal gift that has already been conferred upon us; to advance from grace that is present within us secretly and unconsciously, to grace at work within us " with full assurance and conscious awareness", as St Gregory put it. In our beginning is our end; we are to become what we are.

There are two chief ways, said St Gregory, in which this can be brought to pass: through "the fulfillment of the commandments", that is, through moral effort; and through " the methodical and unceasing invocation of the Lord Jesus". He added: "The first way is slower and the second shorter." St Gregory should not be interpreted as implying that there are two alternatives, for obviously everyone is required to "fulfill the commandments" and to observe moral rules. Equally, in calling the way of the Jesus Prayer "shorter", he does not mean that it is a soft option; for he has made it abundantly clear that it involves firm commitment and persistence.

His meaning is that outward moral effort, if unaccompanied by inner prayer, turns the Christian life into a heavy burden, into a matter of obligation and duty. Inner prayer 'shortens' the journey in the sense that it gives to our spiritual struggle both depth and meaning, both a sense of direction and a spirit of joy.

The purpose of the Jesus Prayer, is then to help us to discover directly and vividly how, by virtue of Baptism, we are Christ-bearers, sharing in His death and resurrection, and at the same time Spirit-bearers, aflame with the fire of Pentecost.

What St Gregory said about the Jesus Prayer as a revelation of baptismal grave, he applied also to the Eucharist. Through the Jesus Prayer we perform an 'inner liturgy', whereby "we offer up the Lamb of God upon the altar of our soul and partake of Him in communion". The Jesus Prayer 'internalises' the Eucharist. But this 'spiritual communion' cannot exist unless we are also partaking outwardly in the sacrament.

Following the teaching of St Gregory, St Kallistos and St Ignatios Xanthopoulos state that our aim in prayer and ascetic life is to return " to that perfect spiritual recreation and renewal of grace that was given to us freely from on high at the beginning in the sacred baptismal font". They continue on giving detailed instructions about the practice of the Jesus Prayer and they end by discussing the Holy Communion. This, they say, is to be "continual", and if possible daily. To received the sacrament daily is in fact highly unusual in the Orthodox Church. Thus, the Jesus Prayer is 'sandwiched' between the primary Christian mysteries of Baptism and Eucharist.

It is thus evident that the Jesus Prayer enriches the sacramental life but does not replace it. The invocation of the Name exists, not in isolation, but in ecclesial and mysterial context. It presupposes membership of the Church and participation in the Church's sacraments.

But, what are we to say to those 'spiritual seekers' in our day, who practice the Jesus Prayer without belonging to any church community? Perhaps they do not have any definitive faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour. Are we to forbid them to use the Prayer? Surely not; for the Jesus Prayer is not our private possession. But it has to be said that such persons are in an irregular situation. Let us hope that the Jesus Prayer, through the grace present within it, will draw them gradually into active church membership.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Reference: The Jesus Prayer - Bishop Kallistos Ware

The Jesus Prayer - Prayer of the Heart

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Dear all, in the previous sessions we tried to understand the three things that would aid us in our recitation of the Jesus Prayer. A 'soul friend' to guide us as we climb the mountain of prayer. A 'prayer rope' to keep us away from fidgeting and establish a regular rhythm in our invocation. And lastly 'praying with each breath'. But in the end we learned that it is not advisable to have vain repetitions of the prayer, but it should be recited with faith and love towards Jesus Christ.

Let us now understand the three levels of prayer. It is customary in Orthodoxy to distinguish three levels of any prayer: of the lips, of the mind, and of the heart. This three fold distinction applies in particular to the Jesus Prayer.

1. To begin with, the Jesus Prayer, like any other, is a prayer of the lips, an oral prayer.

2. Prayer said only with the lips is obviously not true prayer. The mind, with it's power of attention needs to be involved also. St John Climacus admonishes us thus: "Contain your mind within the words of prayer." So Jesus Prayer grows gradually more inward. Yet we are not to be quick in giving up the actual recitation of the words, whether spoken aloud or formed silently within us.

3. Finally, by the grace of God, the mind is united with the heart, so that our prayer becomes 'prayer of the heart' or, more exactly, 'prayer of the mind in the heart'.

In this context, by 'heart', Orthodox writers do not mean primarily the emotions and feelings, but the spiritual center of the total human being. The heart, as well as being a physical organ in our chest, represents symbolically the focal point of our person-hood as created beings in the image and likeness of God. The heart is thus the ground of our being, the root and source of our inner truth. It includes the emotions, but more significantly it comprises our will, our reason, and also the higher visionary faculty, whereby we apprehend the glory of God. In the words of St Theophan the Recluse, "The heart is the innermost self, or spirit. Here are located self awareness, the conscience, the idea of God and of one's complete dependence on Him, and all eternal treasures of the spiritual life."

As well as being the center of our created person-hood, the heart is also the point of encounter between each created person and the uncreated God. It is the gateway to self-transcendence, the place of divine dwelling. St Macarius states thus, "... The heart is Christ's palace: there Christ the King comes to take His read, with the angels and the spirits of the saints, and He dwells there, walking within it and placing His Kingdom there."

Therefore, in Orthodox writings, 'prayer of the heart' is prayer of the entire human person, prayer in which body, soul and spirit are all participating. Moreover, since the heart is the meeting place with God, prayer of the heart denotes not simply MY PRAYER but THE PRAYER OF CHRIST IN ME. In St Paul's words, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20).

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.

Reference: The Jesus Prayer - Bishop Kallistos Ware