Are you prepared for Christmas?

As Christmas 2012 approaches we find ourselves readying for the festivities ahead by taking part in our great cultural traditions of baking kileche, making sure we have bought all the Christmas presents on our lists and have our outfits ready for the Christmas Church service and the family gatherings that follow. Many of us also have the dilemma of deciding where we will have Christmas lunch and dinner that we must also prepare for; where we can again, joyously catch up with family and friends at the end of the year before we start discussing plans for the New Year… Then, sure enough, within a blink of an eye it feels like it’s Christmas again and the traditional cycle continues.

All these traditions are great and are a lovely, joyful reminder of the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But as Christmas arrives this year, let us invest some of our time to reflect upon our lives in the year that has passed and look beyond the kileche, presents, Christmas cooking, heavy duty cleaning and preparation and delve into the true meaning of Christmas… What does Christmas mean to Christians? And what are the true preparations we should be making before the long awaited feast day arrives?

The feast of the Holy Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is celebrated in our Church on the 25^th of December every year. It is a day that we are called to remember that God took on the humility of mankind’s flesh and emptied Himself of the glory He deserves, so that we, His beloved creation could become full (Philippians 2:5-8). The day stands as a humble reminder to us all that Christ offered His ALL for us, leaving us a great example of offering our ALL to Him in thanks.

Saint Ephrem the Syrian beautifully illustrates the greatness of the gift that has been offered to us through the birth of our Lord, and also challenges us to respond to this priceless, everlasting gift in one of his many hymns on the nativity:

Serene is the night on which shines forth the Serene One Who came to give us serenity.

Do not allow anything that might disturb it to enter upon our watch.

Let the path of the ear be cleared; let the sight of the eye be chastened;

Let the contemplation of the heart be sanctified; let the speech of the mouth be purified.

Mary today has hidden in us the leaven from the house of Abraham;

Let us therefore, love the poor as Abraham [loved] the needy.

Today she has cast rennet into us from the house of David, the compassionate one;

Let man have mercy on his persecutor as the son of Jesse on Saul.

The sweet salt of the prophets today is scattered among the peoples;

Let us acquire by it a new taste by which the former people would lose its flavor.

On this day of redemption let us speak a speech of interpretation;

Let us not speak superfluous words, lest we be superfluous to [the day].

This is the night of reconciliation; let us be neither wrathful nor gloomy on it.

On this all-peaceful night let us be neither menacing nor boisterous.

This is the night of the Sweet One; let us be neither proud nor haughty.

On this day of forgiveness let us not avenge offenses.

On this day of rejoicings let us not share sorrows.

On this sweet day let us not be vehement.

On this calm day let us not be quick-tempered.

On this day on which God came into the presence of sinners,

Let not the just man exalt himself in his mind over the sinner.

On this day on which the Lord of all came among servants,

Let the lords also bow down to their servants lovingly.

On this day when the Rich One was made poor for our sake,

Let the rich man also make the poor man a sharer at his table.

On this day a gift came out to us without our asking for it;

Let us then give alms to those who cry out and beg from us.

This is the day when the high gate opened to us for our prayers;

Let us also open the gates to the seekers who have stayed but sought [forgiveness].

This Lord of nature’s today was transformed contrary to His nature;

It is not too difficult for us also to overthrow our evil will.

Bound is the body by its nature for it cannot grow larger or smaller;

But powerful is the will for it may grow to all sizes.

Today the Deity imprinted itself on humanity,

So that humanity might also be cut into the seal of Deity.

Christ the hope of our nature, and the giver of all good things was born into this world in the flesh to give us the gift of new life though we did not deserve it (Romans 3:23-24). His glorious birth into this world brought our lifeless, sinful bodies new birth and a chance at a new beginning.

As we enter our Churches this Christmas let us remember the stable in Bethlehem (house of bread) where Christ’s light first shined in this dark world. And as we gaze at His Body and Blood being offered on the alter, stand in humility and reverence and truly thank God the Father for the gracious gift of Christ that was given to us over 2000 years ago and is being offered for us on Christmas day and every day that we have the privilege to look upon the Son as redeemed children.

This Christmas, let us heed the edifying words of our Holy Father Saint Ephrem and allow his instruction to influence our words, actions and thoughts starting from this day, while challenging ourselves to continue on this path in the New Year.

Are you truly prepared for Christmas this year? Have you accepted the gift that Christ has offered you? If you have accepted His gift, what gift will you offer Him in return? (Romans 12:1)

May the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ bring blessings to you and your family as you share the love of Christ and celebrate the newness of life He brings at every gathering.

Please keep our beloved brothers and sisters of our homeland in prayer at this time when persecution is much more prevalent for them.

Christmas Song: By Bethlehem (Assyrian Church of the East Hymn) – Linda George

Excerpt from: Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns, By Saint Ephrem (Syrus), Kathleen E. McVey.

Hymn 1 – Hymns on the nativity.