Christmas The Nativity of our Lord 2023 (2)

Vigil Divine Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great

Ambon Prayer 50

Dismissal: “May Christ, our true God, who, for our salvation, was born in a cave in Bethlehem in Judea, and lay in a manger . . .”

Troparion of Christmas is sung after the Dismissal

Title

He Reflects the Glory of God

Outline

The story is a strange one

There is a king, the divine Augustus, who holds the “world,” the Roman Empire, together, who, to solidify that empire orders the tax registration of all property owners in the Eastern Provinces. After all, Rome was protecting them from the Parthians. People begin to move, including a peasant, Joseph, who, with his pregnant wife heads to Bethlehem, where he must have had a small property interest. And he was a descendent of another king, now long gone, David, but compared to Augustus David would have been small potatoes. Joseph and Mary stayed in a lean-to on the roof of the small peasant house of a relative, cramped quarters indeed if one is 10 (moon) month pregnant. When Mary goes into labor the family clears out of the house and summon the village midwives. Since it was dark, the family’s animals were in the front part of the house. The baby was born, washed, wrapped up as infants are, and put in a manger intended for the animals so he would be out of the way of both the animals and the adults, for as soon as the midwives have left there were visitors. These were hired shepherds, even poorer and lower class that Joseph, outcasts, Jews who had made themselves Gentiles.

Now comes the contrast. These shepherds had had seen divine messengers who had announced to them that in Bethlehem, wrapped as a newborn is, there was “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Augustus was Savior, Augustus was Lord, and both were often divine titles, but this one is the Jew’s anointed king (Christ). And what a contrast to Augustus he is - no evidence of power and authority, but having power and authority that Augustus could not have imagined.

Hebrew tells us about the baby’s true identity

He is the Son through whom God has spoken, he is the heir of all things, i.e. the unique son of God, he is the one through whom God created the ages. He has the honor status of God and has the same nature as God (“the very stamp of his nature”). He upholds the universe by his word of power - even as a baby wrapped up, lying in a manger.

But - again a contrast, this time with the images of power and authority - he is also a priest, “When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” How would he make that offering? By being both priest and victim, offering himself.

The story is a strange one indeed, but strange because it is true

Power and authority does not really lay with the rulers and magnates of this world - every so often God pulls some of them down to demonstrate this fact. That seems to be how the world works, but it is a lie, for it is a distortion of God’s deep power.

Rather power, rule, and authority lies in the Son who humbled himself to become a human baby and, while king of all things, he will offer himself to become savior of the world and only then ascend to a throne.

He is the one we are to follow, in his humility, in his way of life, and, eventually in his rule.

Meditate on these things, for only then can they sink into your heart.

Readings

Epistle

Hebrews 1:1–12 RSVCE

1 In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to what angel did God ever say, “Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7 Of the angels he says, “Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.” 8 But of the Son he says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the righteous scepter is the scepter of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy comrades.” 10 And, “Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; 11 they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, 12 like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end.”

Gospel:

Luke 2:1–20 RSVCE

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (12-24-2023: Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St Basil)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2023 | NATIVITY OF OUR LORD

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 12-25-2023: Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

NATIVITY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

Bright Vestments

Epistle: Heb 1:1-12

Gospel: Luke 2:1-20

(Micah, Daniel, and Isaiah are the Vesperal readings)