His Holiness Pope Shenouda III reflects on the angel’s words to the shepherds on Christmas night: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”
He explains that the joy of Christmas is not physical or temporary, but the joy of salvation that Christ brought to free mankind from the punishment of sin and its dominion.

1. The True Meaning of Joy in the Nativity

The great joy is that a Savior is born for us.
The Nativity is not merely a celebration but the beginning of redemption.
Pope Shenouda says, “What benefit is it to celebrate the birth of Christ if you receive nothing from His salvation?”
Through His birth, we receive joy and freedom from the bondage of sin and death.

2. Two Types of Salvation in Christ

He explains that salvation is of two kinds:

1. Freedom from the punishment of sin, which Christ achieved by His sacrifice on the cross.

2. Freedom from the power of sin, granted through the grace of the Holy Spirit.
   Christ came not only to save us from judgment but also to free us from the inner slavery of evil.

3. The Work of Grace and the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, calls to spiritual life, and enlightens the heart through Scripture and sound teaching.
Grace works within the believer, granting strength to overcome temptation and to live in righteousness.

4. Joy of Reconciliation with God

The birth of Christ marks the reconciliation between heaven and earth.
Through Him, man is restored to peace with God and enters His presence with no barrier.
This reconciliation brings the deepest and truest joy.

5. The Beginning of the Kingdom and the Acceptance of the Nations

With the Nativity, the Kingdom of God began in the world.
From the very start, the Gentiles were accepted when the Magi came to worship the Child, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh as symbols of His kingship, priesthood, and sacrifice.
Every believer is called to be gold (God’s kingdom within), frankincense (a life of prayer), and myrrh (sharing Christ’s sufferings).

6. Spiritual Struggle with Christ

Salvation calls for cooperation with Christ through spiritual struggle.
The believer must “crucify the flesh with its passions,” and strive against sin even “unto blood,” living in unity with the crucified Lord.

7. Spiritual Joy versus Worldly Pleasure

The Pope distinguishes between pleasure and joy:
Pleasure is sensual and fleeting, but joy is spiritual and eternal.
True Christian joy is delight in the Lord, in His promises, in divine sonship, and in the restoration of God’s image within us.

8. Joy in the Salvation of Others

True joy is not individual but communal — “for you and for all people.”
The spiritual person rejoices in the repentance of sinners, as Scripture says:

“There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents more than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
Thus we are called to live divine joy through our salvation and the salvation of others.

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