By Archimandrite George Kapsanis
With the Panagia Theotokos, Saint Joseph the Betrothed, the angels, the shepherds and the Magi from the east, we worship, thank, praise and glorify our incarnate Lord, who for our salvation was born in the cave, lay in the manger and was baptized in the Jordan.
His extreme humility is not only seen in His death on the Cross, but also in His Nativity in the cave of Bethlehem and His Baptism in the Jordan River.
With this humility He defeated the devil, who thought that with his pride he would reign in the world.
Saint Isaac the Syrian teaches that the garment that Christ wore when He became a man was the garment of humility.
This outfit is also worn by all the people of Christ, becoming invulnerable to the attacks of evil spirits.
This humility allows believers to see Christ and worship Him as the Son and Word of God.
Immeasurable humility characterized our Panagia and that is why she was found worthy to become the Container of the Uncontainable. The righteous Joseph, who undertook the protection of the Theotokos and the Divine Infant, was also humble. The humble shepherds and the humble Magi, despite their wisdom, saw and worshiped Jesus. John was also humble and became the Baptist of his Lord.
Disbelief and agnosticism are born in proud souls. Modern man, full of pride, self-sufficiency, confidence in his achievements and in his logic, does not believe and does not worship the incarnate God.
We ask the Philanthropic Lord to help us strive to gain true and profound humility and faith in His incarnation and love.
Thus we will share in His wealth, in His eternal life, in His kingdom, in His divinity. Because as the Holy Fathers say:
Christ became man to make us gods by grace.
He became poor to enrich us.
He came down to earth to raise us to heaven.
He was humbled to glorify us.
Receive, Philanthropic Lord, together with the angels, the shepherds and the Magi our poor obedience, worship, thanksgiving and praise.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
His extreme humility is not only seen in His death on the Cross, but also in His Nativity in the cave of Bethlehem and His Baptism in the Jordan River.
With this humility He defeated the devil, who thought that with his pride he would reign in the world.
Saint Isaac the Syrian teaches that the garment that Christ wore when He became a man was the garment of humility.
This outfit is also worn by all the people of Christ, becoming invulnerable to the attacks of evil spirits.
This humility allows believers to see Christ and worship Him as the Son and Word of God.
Immeasurable humility characterized our Panagia and that is why she was found worthy to become the Container of the Uncontainable. The righteous Joseph, who undertook the protection of the Theotokos and the Divine Infant, was also humble. The humble shepherds and the humble Magi, despite their wisdom, saw and worshiped Jesus. John was also humble and became the Baptist of his Lord.
Disbelief and agnosticism are born in proud souls. Modern man, full of pride, self-sufficiency, confidence in his achievements and in his logic, does not believe and does not worship the incarnate God.
We ask the Philanthropic Lord to help us strive to gain true and profound humility and faith in His incarnation and love.
Thus we will share in His wealth, in His eternal life, in His kingdom, in His divinity. Because as the Holy Fathers say:
Christ became man to make us gods by grace.
He became poor to enrich us.
He came down to earth to raise us to heaven.
He was humbled to glorify us.
Receive, Philanthropic Lord, together with the angels, the shepherds and the Magi our poor obedience, worship, thanksgiving and praise.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.