CHRISTMAS PASTORAL

Reflecting God's presence among us

Epistle at the Nativity of our Lord issued by the Permanent Conference of Ukrainian Orthodox Bishops Beyond the Borders of Ukraine.

"God is with us - understand all ye nations ... and submit yourselves, for God is with us!" (Nativity Compline)

Dearly beloved brothers and sisters in our Lord, faithful members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada, the United States of America, South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Ukraine!

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

We read in Holy Scripture that "when the fullness of Time had come" not as an ambassador, not as a angel, but God Himself was made flesh. He entered human history, which was dramatically changed by this encounter. The fullness of time had come into a world long shackled to darkness in which myths and mirage covered the intelligent purpose for living and the true way of life. The distortions, perversions, abnormalities of the "time" had fashionably been accepted as the "normal" way of life and, as such, man had forfeited his true reason for living.

It was a time when the human soul, having divorced itself from the presence of God and from the life of God, had gone into the world of darkness to live by its own power. God created the world, and He said "let us make man," and He made man "in his image." This original "image" was utilized as a verb - "let us make man to image us."

Man, as the icon of God, as the life created by the love of God, in love, for love, to love, had surrendered this loving personality and life for the abnormal mirage of the night, separated from his Creator. Man wandered in his world of darkness for a long time, indeed a very long time, trampling underfoot what the "life" was and substituting for it an inauthentic form of existence. All of this had come to an end. The fullness of time had come and God descended the staircase of heaven carrying a baby in His arms.

For us the direct entrance of God into human history is yet one more manifestation of His care and love for us and for the world, which He created. We sing at the Great Nativity Compline "God is with us; understand all ye nations and submit yourselves, for God is with us!" Almighty God came to us for our salvation - the fulfillment of the deep human intuition that the world is not an end in itself. This deep intuitive comprehension of God's gift of salvation was proud among the cadres of saints of our Ukrainian nation. Throughout 1,012 years of Christian life in Ukraine and beyond her borders, our people were able to preserve the treasure of the Faith even though they were forcefully divided from their brothers and sisters. The comprehension of this gift of salvation enabled our people to embrace the world, time, history, our very lives an epiphany of God, as means of His revelation, presence and power. He made Himself known to us directly and personally. St. Athanasius sums up the incarnation of Jesus Christ with the words "God became human so that we might come divine."

What has all of this to do with us who live in the year 2000-2001? God's action - His gift to us - requires a response on our part. If we do not respond, we are diminished as human beings. St. Peter talks about us: "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people Christ has claimed as His own ... to proclaim His glorious works." As our Lord selected the Apostles, so likewise, He selects us for mission. Actually, "apostle" and "mission" have the same root meaning - "to be sent."

We are a people who are being sent to that portion of the world entrusted to our lives We are held responsible for that world, the world of our homes, the world of our parishes, the world of our communities, the world of our schools and the world of our workplaces. We are called upon to proclaim that "God is with us," "Christ is Born" and that there is life beyond this world, life eternal with God!

To make such a proclamation is a form of ministry to a world that is not really much different from the world when the "fullness of time" had come. There are still distortions, perversions, abnormalities accepted as the "norm." It is a world filled with people who are searching like Pontius Pilate for the "truth"!

What is our life all about? It is about acceptance of our mission. We are sent to the world - not to a vast "fantasy land" - to minister to all. That ministry is nothing less than each of us becoming agents of life for others. Ministry is caring. Ministry is loving. Ministry is forgiving. Ministry is giving, expecting nothing in return. Ministry is living in the example of our Lord's total and unquestionable love for us. Ministry is to image God - to reflect God's presence to all.

May we each be willing to answer the call to such ministry and Truth. When God the Father called out in the Garden for His beloved creation - there was no answer. The created one was ashamed because of his actions. Let us be prepared to answer when God calls out to us. Let us work miracles in this world.

Throughout the first year of the new millennium, which is upon us, may the love, peace and joy of the Christ-Child fill each of your homes and lives - and those of our brother hierarchs and faithful in Ukraine. You are in our prayers daily.

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

Ý Wasyly, Metropolitan
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Ý Constantine, Metropolitan
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. and Diaspora

Ý John, Archbishop
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Ý Antony, Archbishop
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.

Ý Vsevolod, Archbishop
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.

Ý Ioan, Archbishop
Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Diaspora and the Australia/New Zealand Eparchy

Ý Yurij, Bishop
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Ý Jeremiah, Bishop
Ukrainian Orthodox Church in South America

Given on the Great Feast of the Nativity of our Lord - January 7, 2001.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 7, 2001, No. 1, Vol. LXIX

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