Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Popadia Paula and I wish you all the blessings of the Feast. This is in fact a two fold feast: the Nativity of the Lord and His Baptism. Together they are two occasions of our Lord revealing Himself and manifesting heaven on earth. God became man in His Nativity and the Holy Trinity was present at the baptism of the Lord. We spent the last 40 days (even though imperfectly) preparing the cave, our hearts and bodies to receive Him. And now with the Church in heaven we sing His praises. We are also called to open our homes, the "little church", for the blessing of the holy water so we can be united with the full Church even in the living of our daily lives.

What greater joy can we have than having God with us! God is with us, understand all ye nations and submit yourselves for God is with us.

(From Great Compline)

As we follow our Lord in this time, let us change our mind and our way of thinking of life. We find it difficult sometimes to believe that God is with us when we suffer any want. There are persistent voices that proclaim: There is no God. Sometimes when we are suffering we feel terrible and for us God has been associated with health, prosperity, good feelings. But in fact God came into a suffering world and is found in a special way amongst those who suffer. In the cave of our want we find the consolation of His peace. In our weakness Christ is made strong. One holy abbot said that in pain he learned to pray. Also for the aching feet of our children we have this consolation.Fr. George Calciu, when he was a child, complained to his mother after Church that his feet hurt him. "With your aching feet", she told him, "you are serving God"

With St. Paul let us learn to recognize the love of God in all circumstances and through the different passages of life: I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phillipians 4:12-13

Our Lord truly loves us. And I love you all! Let us love one another in this Nativity. Please take the time to visit one another. Celebrate during this time that is FAST FREE. And let's participate together in the blessing of the waters at Theophany both at Church and in your homes.

In His Blessed Nativity,

Fr. Patrick