1988 Christmas greetings of Ukrainian Catholic hierarchy
CHRIST IS BORN!
"A great and marvelous wonder has come to pass this day. A Virgin bears a Child and her womb suffers no corruption. The word is made flesh, yet ceases not to dwell with the Father. Angels and shepherds give glory, and with them we cry aloud: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace!'"
- Great Compline of Christmas
Our liturgical prayers and melodious chants, filled with wonder, give praise to the Eternal God made flesh who "came forth from heaven to redeem all people." We marvel at this boundless love of the Creator of all who became man for our salvation. The coming of God's Son brought us peace, grace, salvation, heavenly light, restored friendship between God and man, and we Christians became children of the Father, brothers and sisters of God's Son, Jesus Christ. This glorious event prompted the angels to sing: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those who enjoy His favor." (Lk. 2:14).
One thousand years have passed this year since Christ was "officially" born in our native land - in Kiev on the Dnieper, when our forefathers "were baptized in Christ and put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27) and first sang the song of the prophet Isaiah: "Understand all nations... for God is with us!" (Isaiah 8:9-10). Our ancestors received the "Great Gift of Baptism" which strengthened, enlightened and gave warmth to our Ukrainian Church and our nation for 1,000 years, and for this grace we have offered our heartfelt gratitude to God during this Millennium year. This historic year of our Millennium is ending and we are entering into the second millennium. In what state do we find our souls and with what resolutions are we entering this new millennium?
Our heavenly Savior speaks to us in the words of the Gospel: "You are the light for the world. No one lights a lamp to put it under a bushel: they put it on a lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in people's sight, so that seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16) We are to be that light for the world. We are to be apostles of Christ's truths, apostles of prayer, apostles of good example, apostles of a just, Christian life so that our neighbors might see our faith, love, patience, piety, our participation in the Divine Liturgy and in the sacraments so that they might be edified by God's grace working in us and choose to follow us for the glory of our Heavenly Father. We sing in our divine liturgy after holy communion: "We have seen the true light and received the Heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith..."
On this Feast of the Nativity of the Son of God, we, your bishops, pray to the Lord, that you together with us "with one heart and one voice" in the joy of the Holy Spirit, may, proclaim to the entire world through our good life that Christ is born, that Christ is among us, and that we have put on Christ.
Therefore, on the threshold of the second millennium, let us place ourselves, our families, our Church, our people - both in the free world and those dear brothers and sisters in our fatherland - under the protection of the Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Our holy father, Pope John Paul II, in his message to Ukrainians on the occasion of our Millennium wrote: "To Mary we owe the birth of Christ. She was present also in Kievan Rus' at the birth of the Church." She is the Mother of Christ the Lord. She is also our Mother.
May this Christmas bring many graces and heavenly gifts to you and to all those dear to your hearts! May the light of Christ never cease to brighten your hearts and your homes! May the peace of Christ and His holy love be with you this Christmas Day when Eternal Love was made flesh and always!
The blessing of Jesus Christ our Lord be upon all of you!
Merry Christmas! Christ is Born! Let us glorify Him!
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, December 25, 1988, No. 52, Vol. LVI
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