Sunday, January 08, 2006

Happy Christmas

HAPPY CHRISTMAS! to those of you who will be celebrating Christ's Holy Nativity with the Orthodox Patristic Calendar.

+Bishop Christodoulos

The vine which produced the unfertilized fruit carried It as though in the encircling arms of the branches, and said: 'Thou, my fruit, my life, By Whom I am known as I am and was. Thou art my God. As I behold the seal of my virginity unbroken, I proclaim Thee the immutable Word become flesh. I know no seed; I know Thee as one who delivers from corruption; For I am pure after having Thee as issue from me; For Thou hast left my womb as Thou hast found it; Thou hast kept it safe. For this reason the whole creation rejoices with me, crying: Mary, full of grace.'

---The Kontakia of Romanos, On the Nativity II

Nets and snares were fashioned, then, For the young fawn of the Virgin and Mother of God, But the trap was broken and the fawn escaped, tearing the snare.
With His mother, like a blameless deer, He fled Into Egypt, as Micah once said. O Thou Who art everywhere and Who rulest over all, where dost Thou flee?

Where dost Thou lead? In what city Shalt Thou make Thy dwelling? What house will contain Thee, what place will support Thee? No part of creation anywhere is invisible to Thy sight, But all things are laid bare to Thee, Thou art the Maker of All, O Christ. Why, then, dost Thou flee, Holy One? Because of Thee, Herod mourns as he weeps That his power will soon be destroyed.

---St Romanos the Melodist - On the Massacre of the Innocents (Flight into Egypt).

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