Nativity Archives • Patristic Faith

How Do I Receive Christ Into My Heart?

Those of us who have not switched to the new calendar, are currently celebrating the Feast of the Nativity. One of the great themes we often hear is that we are to create a Bethlehem in our hearts. Our hearts must be a place where Christ may come and dwell. A place where Christ may be born our hearts. And when we hear those words, of course, it is natural for us to say, “Well, looking at the poverty of my heart, the poverty in terms of what I can offer to God, looking at the true depth of sin and darkness that I recognize within myself, how can I imagine for a moment that Christ would be born in such a dark and sinful place, in me, in my heart?”

Father Spyridon

The Nativity

Those of us who observe the Julian Calendar are now about to complete the Nativity Fast. Having abstained from meat, eggs, dairy products, anger, envy and other habits, for the sake of promoting the discipline of the soul, we enter into a celebration that marks forever the change in man’s relationship with the Creator. We are now joining hundreds of millions of Orthodox Christians around the world, in celebrating the Birth of Our Saviour.

Abbot Tryphon

Not of the Flesh

In both the Gospels of St. Luke and St. Matthew, we’re presented with the genealogy of Christ, that long list of names, giving the ancestors leading all the way up to St. Joseph and St. Mary the Theotokos. Now, this list of names is not just a historical record, it has spiritual meaning. There is theological and spiritual meaning of course we can’t, we can’t separate theology and spirituality. True theology comes from the revelation of God, it is not just a rational function of the mind. This is false theology. But the genealogy of Christ, the list of names has both a spiritual and theological meaning. It reveals to us something of the identity of Christ, his role, his purpose in coming as a human being. And it speaks to us of our own lives. What our calling truly is.

Father Spyridon

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

Merry Christmas from All Merciful Savior Monastery on Vashon Island. I have to tell you that this season, everywhere I go I hear “Happy Holidays”. And sometimes I’m just so tempted to scream out “It’s not holidays! It’s Christmas! It’s the season that we rejoice in the birth of the Savior!” And so all I really want to say is Merry Christmas, or as an Orthodox Christian “A blessing Holy Nativity to you.” But in this woke culture of ours, that is simply not correct. People would look at you like, Are you out of your mind?

Abbot Tryphon

How Do I Receive Christ Into My Heart?

The Nativity

Not of the Flesh

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

be part of our ministry

help us grow & spread the patristic message to the world.