Word XIX. On the Most Glorious Nativity in the Flesh of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ

December 25, 1907.

Sing to the Lord, born of the Virgin, sing the hymn of the heavenly host, you who are born of earth, clap your hands: for God is among men (Stichera of Small Vespers).

Let it not seem strange if, in this present godless time, I put to you all this question today: which of the Christians, the so-called intelligentsia, takes a living interest, from a spiritual point of view, in the present great feast of the Nativity of Christ? And yet the event that took place nearly 2,000 years ago was unique in its grandeur and its saving power for the human race—unique, I say, in the judgments of God and in the history of mankind: only once did God become man, only once did He come to earth for our salvation, and a second time He will come again, but now to judge the living and the dead.

I put this question to everyone because today many, many have ceased to take an interest in this event (and take an interest in it only for idleness’ sake); we, the ministers of the faith, who sincerely believe and enjoy the saving fruits of faith in Christ, must revive and awaken a lively interest in the faith concerning this event and its Author, our Lord Jesus Christ. The unbelief of men will not abolish it, nor shake it; it will only make us more zealous still for it and for its defense against unbelievers. It rouses in us boundless astonishment at unbelievers, and endless pity for their thoughtlessness, their dullness of mind, their lack of character, and their corruption. A Christian, who received at birth into his heart the seed of faith in God, and was brought up in the faith, will never fall away from a faith whose sweetness he has tasted for himself a thousand times over.

And so I repeat my question: which of the Christians sincerely takes an interest in the present feast of the Nativity of Christ? Today the earth was found worthy to receive upon itself God incarnate; the most pure Virgin gave birth, according to the flesh, to the pre-eternal Creator of heaven and earth, who holds in His almighty hand all creation, visible and invisible; She gave birth to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, the Lamb of God, who took upon Himself the sins of the world.

But by what is the birth on earth of this boundlessly great, uncreated Being marked? By boundless humility and boundless poverty, for the rebuke of human pride. Through pride the Day Star fell; through pride Adam and Eve fell, having dreamed of being gods, and boldly having disobeyed the commandment of God.

Jesus Christ, as the almighty Physician of the human race, fallen through pride, through the very circumstances of His birth, in a humble manger, of a pure but poor Virgin of royal lineage, wishes to heal us of the disease of pride, and to teach us a lesson of humility. And indeed, by His whole life, He taught us humility and self-denial. He is wrapped not in cloth of gold or in fine garments, but in swaddling cloths such as a poor Virgin could prepare; He is settled in a manger, not in the splendid halls befitting earthly kings. O willing poverty, O voluntary destitution of Him who possesses all the treasures of the earth, all the luminaries of heaven, before whom the choirs of angels stand in heaven with trembling! This is by what means, and how, the Physician of mankind heals our most malignant disease—pride, the beginning of every sin.

Kings of the earth, surrounded by the splendor of your rank, come in thought to Bethlehem, bow your crowned heads before this manger, in which lies the true and eternal King of kings—and lay your crowns at its foot, humble yourselves, and acknowledge that you are formed of dust and shall return to dust—and confess before Him, the humble Infant, that from Him is given you your power and your authority over the nations, that you are His helpers, and that by Him your thrones stand firm; that without faith in Him even your rulers are but splintered reeds, on which you cannot lean.

Learned men of this world, holding forth from the lecterns of the state’s high institutions and of every other kind; you who teach and you who are taught, especially in the higher schools, but who, in God’s sight, are the very least and most rejected, by reason of your spirit of rebellion and disobedience to authority—I send you too to the manger of Bethlehem: cast away your pride before your Creator and Savior, your one true Teacher, and humble yourselves before Him who brought to earth peace from the heavenly Father and good will to men, He who submitted Himself to Caesar’s earthly rule. Do not forget that He says of proud rebels that He is the Stone, upon which whoever falls will be broken to pieces (Mt 21:44).

Who has taught you disobedience and senseless rebellions, such as never existed before in Russia or in other states?

Return to humble faith, to the Gospel of peace, to the Church, from which you have madly fallen away, as once Satan and the fallen angels fell away from God.

Woe to the rebellious and disobedient, as it was to Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

To you I address my priestly word—whether you will listen or not, I say this to you as a sincere fellow believer. Cease your madness. Enough! Enough of drinking this bitter cup, full of poison—both for you and for Russia. A blessed feast to you! Amen.