Category: Advent (Page 1 of 5)

Chirst is Born! Glorify Him!

Come, ye believers, let us see where Christ was born.
Let us follow the star whither it goeth with the Magi, kings of the East;
For there, angels praise him ceaselessly,
And shepherds raise their voices in a worthy song of praise, saying,
Glory in the highest to the One born today in a cave from the virgin Theotokos in Behlehem, in Judea.

Source: Christmas Matin

Another name for Christmas is ‘Advent,’ which means ‘coming.’ Christmas is about the coming of the Son of God into human history. It is not a myth but rather myth becoming concrete fact. Christmas would be meaningless without a particular Jewish maiden named “Mary” who said ‘Yes’ to an angel, who lived in Roman occupied Palestine, and who gave birth to Jesus in the town of Bethlehem.

Christmas is for those who believe in God’s goodness and mercy. Christmas is also for those who are looking for a loving and merciful God. It has recently been reported that there is an uptick in people, especially young men, interested in Orthdooxy. See the New York Post article: “Young men leaving traditional churches for ‘masculine’ Orthodox Christianity in droves.”

With the coming of the Son of God in Bethlehem, human history is divided in half–between BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Dominis which means “Year of the Lord”). The more recent BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) reflects a secular understanding of history. Its widespread usage reflects America’s shift to a post-Christian culture with a more religiously neutral, that is, a-religious worldview. Even as society changes, Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Dear Folks,

For those of you who are wondering, I am still working on articles to be posted on this blog site. Thank you for your prayers, patience, and support!

Robert Arakaki

The Ox and the Ass at the Manger

Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Christ descends from the heavens, welcome Him!
Christ is now on earth, O be jubilant!
Sing to the Lord, the whole earth,
And sing praises to Him with joy, O ye people,
For He has been exalted!

Christmas Canon, 1st Song, Irmos

Nativity Icon

The ox and the ass are two of the most ancient symbols that appear in Nativity icons. In the ancient Church, the ox was a clean, kosher animal representing the Jews. The Jews have the Law of Moses which taught them obedience to God. The ass, on the other hand, was a wilder and untamed animal, representing the Gentiles who do not have the Law. In Christ, the two seemingly opposite groups are united. The Apostle Paul writes: “For He is our peace who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility . . . .” (Ephesians 2:14)

The Nativity Icon shows the newborn Christ in a cave. The color black symbolizes the dark mystery of the human heart. Christ came to bring light to our inner darkness. Hence, we are urged to welcome Christ into our heart. The color black can also be understood as symbolizing the world being shrouded in darkness. Christ has entered into the dark times of our lives bringing comfort and joy, faith and hope.

The people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
And for those who sat in the region
and shadow of death
light has dawned.
(Matthew 4:17; cf. Isaiah 9:2)

Isaiah’s prophecy of the eschatological dawn was fulfilled when Jesus came preaching repentance and proclaiming the coming of the kingdom of God (see Matthew 4:17).

Dear Folks,

The year 2023 has been a busy one for me. In my spare time I continue to write articles for the OrthodoxBridge. I hope to post more articles in the near future. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Robert Arakaki

Blessed be the Child 

Blessed be the Child Who today delights Bethlehem.
Blessed be the Newborn Who today made humanity young again.
Blessed be the Fruit Who bowed Himself down to our hunger.
Blessed be the Gracious One Who suddenly enriched all of our poverty and filled our need.
Blessed be He Whose mercy inclined him to heal our sickness.

Hymn 3 – Ephraim the Syrian

Dear Folks,

The year 2022 has been a busy one for me. In my spare time, I continue to write articles for the OrthodoxBridge. I hope to post these articles in the near future. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Robert Arakaki