Archpastoral Greetings at the Nativity of Christ

And when the spiritual children of our venerable Father Herman of Alaska go starring from home to home, they like the magi rejoice exceedingly with great joy in the light of Christ that knows no evening. The star over Bethlehem that encouraged the hearts of the magi continues to encourage us by filling our hearts with the quiet joy of Emmanuel, God is with us. Saint Ephraim the Syrian teaches that although the sun has brighter visible light than that star, the star over Bethlehem had incomparably greater spiritual light and power, for it revealed to us that the young child born of Most Pure Virgin on earth is the pre-eternal Son of the unoriginate Father in heaven. For us the faithful, there is no pandemic that can prevent that holy star from also rising in our hearts,[1] just as there is no situation that can “separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”[2] The only restrictions that can keep us from spiritually celebrating our Savior’s incarnation in the flesh are those of our sins, our selfishness, and our stubborn will. If we try to bring to our Lord just some of the humility that He demonstrated in being placed in a manager, if we try to bring to our Lord just some of the acceptance that He demonstrated when there was no room in the inn, our offering these gifts will enable us to spiritually hear what the Shepherd’s heard and to spiritually see what the Magi saw. And even if we are unable to celebrate now as we could in years past, I ask that you please try to not become discouraged. Instead, patiently accept whatever providence brings your way, “little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”[3] No matter what limits this pandemic places on us during the feast, we can always celebrate our Lord’s incarnation by embracing the holy virtues of the Gospel and letting them take flesh in our every thought, word, and deed. Christ-like humility, peace, and love in the human soul shine like a bright star in this darkened world. When we are humble, peaceful, and loving, we become like a holy star “to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.”[4] Over a thousand years before our venerable father, Saint Herman, went to be a hermit on Spruce island, the hermit bishop, Saint Isaac the Syrian is said to have written the following words of counsel on Christmas eve: