Bishop Dositej’s Christmas Message
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ our Lord,
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1Tim 3,16)
After this last year of many difficulties and tribulations, 2020, we will be warmed by the grace of the festival of Christ’s birth. We have arrived on foot and with prayer and fasting to Bethlehem’s cave, and with the shepherds and the wise men, enter and bow to the new born infant Christ our Lord.
His only Son, Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary who for us mortals and transients comes to make us eternal and imperishable. Who for us frightened and weak comes to make us fearless and strong. Christ, the King of Peace has brought us a heavenly Peace which is not a transient or false worldly Peace yet a Peace of unity with God Almighty.
That Peace is brought by the infant Jesus because all that is divine has become available to man. Heaven has embraced the earth and has shown its true beauty. All who hasten towards Christ thoughtless and vain become thoughtful and modest in his Godly presence. The Lord descends into our world and our history to lift us to heaven and to grant us eternity. He takes the form of a lowly servant to make us in God’s truth citizens of heaven.
We pray brothers and sisters to our Lord Jesus Christ for his Peace to conquer the soul of Orthodox believers and all other people and to cast out cold and fear which has obsessed us during this pandemic year. Being the children of the infant Jesus we should remember his words.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world.” (Jov.16.33)
Be like the wise men as in the Gospel; have a word of consolation and peace for all men, because we Christians who at the festival of Christmas receive Peace are obliged to share it in love with our closest. We must not allow ourselves to become obsessed with worldly issues and add to them our own thoughts, but through this time of pandemic walk in the spirit of the Christmas festival staring up at the infant Jesus, because…
“The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” (Ps 34.22)
Dear Brothers and Sisters, in this year which we will spend partly in isolation and apart from each other I wish that true Peace, Godly optimism and Love rule your lives; for them to reside in faithful families and with our children; in hospitals and in old people’s homes; to comfort all people with difficult duties and those who live in misfortune and poverty; and to inspire our priesthood and our parish committees and trustees.
I sincerely, from my heart salute you all with a hearty Christmas greeting,
MIR BОŽIJI-HRISTОS SЕ RОDI !
God’s Peace, Christ is born!
Bishop Dositej
From the Monastery of the Shroud of the Holy Mother of God
Christmas 2020
