The Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Divider Between Two Distinct Eras
The Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Divider Between Two Distinct Eras¹
My beloved sons and brothers…
I congratulate you on the beginning of a new year and on the new Feast of the Nativity, wishing for all of you, and for all the people of Egypt whom the Lord has blessed, happy peaceful days filled with the work of His grace.
With the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the world began a new era, completely different from the eras that preceded it. And this glorious Nativity became a separator between two distinct times: before the Nativity and after the Nativity.
So what is this newness that gave the world a new image it never had before? Or what is this renewal that Christianity presented, so that it was said in the Gospel: “The old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”?
The Lord Jesus Christ presented a new concept of life, and new expressions that had not been used before, and deep spiritual meanings for all perceptions, so that His listeners were astonished at His words and cried out saying, “Never has a man spoken like this”… The Lord Jesus came spreading love among people, and between people and God. He presents God to people as a loving Father, treating them not as slaves but as children, and they pray to Him saying: “Our Father who art in the heavens.” And in the care for His love, people do His commandments not out of fear of His punishment, but out of love for goodness. And in this Christianity said:
“God is love. He who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.”
Thus the Lord Jesus said that all the commandments are concentrated in one, which is love: You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, from all your mind, and from all your strength; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On this hang all the Law and the Prophets.
And Christ introduced a new teaching in love, which is loving enemies and those who wrong us. He said: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” And Christianity sees in this that repaying evil with evil, and aggression with aggression, means that evil has won. While the teaching of Scripture is: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” “If your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink.” Love must triumph, because “Love never fails,” “Many waters cannot quench love.”
The phrase “God is love” is a new phrase to the world, which had known only a mighty fearful God whose power people dreaded and whom they appeased with sacrifices and various rituals… And the phrase “Love of enemies” is a new phrase in human dealings; the world was astonished to hear it from the mouth of Christ…
And in love, Christ also brought the good tidings of peace…
Peace among people, peace between man and God, and peace in the depths of the soul from within.
A peace from God surpassing all understanding. And when Christ was born, the angels sang: “And on earth peace,” because He came to establish reconciliation between heaven and earth, between God and humankind, after sin had set up a barrier between man and God…
And He desired that this reconciliation always continue in human relationships. He said: “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift before the altar, and go; first be reconciled to your brother.”
For reconciliation is better than offering sacrifices.
And Scripture says: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” Likewise Christ said: “Agree with your adversary quickly while you are on the way with him.” And He also said: “If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also”…
And the Lord Jesus desired that peace spread among people. He said to His disciples: “Whatever city you enter, say: Peace to this house,” “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you,” “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”… And for the sake of peace, Christianity called people to be “preferring one another in honor”…
For love can be proven through humility, self-denial, and bearing with others.
For this reason the Lord Jesus said: “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”
The phrase “self-denial” is a new phrase that Christianity presented to the world. Before that, the (self) was an idol worshiped by its owner, who desired to grow and be glorified…
And Christ set new standards for strength. Strength is not an outward appearance of domination and victory over others; rather, strength is something internal in the depths of the soul, to triumph over oneself. He who conquers himself is better than he who conquers a city. And in Christianity, strength is not that we overpower others, but that we win them and bear with them. He who bears with others is the strong one… but the aggressor is the weak one. Thus Scripture says: “We then who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of the weak”… The aggressor is weak because he is overcome by his sin, overcome by violence, and by his lack of love for others, no matter how strong he appears outwardly. But he who bears is strong: strong in his self-control, strong in not avenging himself.
Time fails me, my brothers, if I speak to you of all the new spiritual principles the world came to know through the Nativity of Christ… But it is enough to say that the era after the Nativity was entirely new in its concepts. Even the sublime laws of God which He gave in the Old Testament were not understood by the people, for a veil was over their eyes and hearts and minds, until Christ revealed to them the beauty and loftiness in the Law… To Him be glory now and forever. Amen.
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An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III published in Akhbar El-Youm newspaper on 6-1-2007.
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