Cooperators of Truth

This is a Holy Communion Podcast. This is a prayer of the great mystical poet St. Ephrem the Syriac, who wrote many hymns about the Nativity. St. Ephrem was Syriac Christian deacon and theologian of the 4th century. Venerated in the East he is also considered a Doctor in the Roman Catholic Church. There are various public domain versions of this prayer available on the Internet. St. Ephrem’s Nativity Prayer: The feast day of your birth resembles You, Lord Because it brings joy to all humanity. Old people and infants alike enjoy your day. Your day is celebrated from generation to generation. Kings and emperors may pass away, And the festivals to commemorate them soon lapse. But your festival will be remembered until the end of time. Your day is a means and a pledge of peace. At Your birth heaven and earth were reconciled, Since you came from heaven to earth on that day You forgave our sins and wiped away our guilt. You gave us so many gifts on the day of your birth: A treasure chest of spiritual medicines for the sick; Spiritual light for the blind; The cup of salvation for the thirsty; The bread of life for the hungry. In the winter when trees are bare, You give us the most succulent spiritual fruit. In the frost when the earth is barren, You bring new hope to our souls. In December when seeds are hidden in the soil, The staff of life springs forth from the virgin womb. St. Ephraim the Syrian (AD 306-373)

This is a Holy Communion Podcast. This hymn on the Nativity of Christ is read from “Divine Eros: Hymns of Saint Symeon the New Theologian.” This podcast is part of our 12 parts series containing sermons and hymns on the Nativity of Christ by Fathers and saints of the Church. Let us briefly recall that Pope St. John  Paul II made a  statement that, “the words of the West need the words of the East, so that God’s word may ever more clearly reveal its unfathomable riches,” Thus , we seek to present work of both Latin and Eastern Theologians of the Church on the Nativity of Christ. The full text that this excerpt is quoted from is available from St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. Reference information can be found on this podcast post at www.cooperatorsoftruth.com …the Logos descended (Jn 10.36) and dwelt entirely in the womb of the virgin, and He was wholly in the Father and wholly in the womb, and wholly in the universe, being uncontainable.   Not reduced, not diminished at all, He went entirely in and remained unchanged. He took the form of a slave and having been begotten He became human in every way (Phil 2.7).   The whole of Him went through the womb and He came into the world; again He was taken up from whence He was not separated (Mk 16.19).   Glory to You, Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit. Boundless Divinity, indivisible by nature, prostrate, we all worship You in the Holy Spirit, we who have your Spirit, as we have received from You. Hymn 21, St. Symeon the New Theologian, excerpted from Divine Eros: Hymns of St. Symeon the New Theologian, translated with introduction by Daniel K. Griggs (SVS Press, 2011).

A Sermon by Saint Issac the Syrian on the Nativity of Christ. This work is in the public domain and can be found in various translations on Eastern Christian websites. Text below. This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world; So let no one threaten; This is the night of the Most Gentle One – Let no one be cruel; This is the night of the Humble One – Let no one be proud. Now is the day of joy – Let us not revenge; Now is the day of Good Will – Let us not be mean. In this Day of Peace – Let us not be conquered by anger. Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake; So, rich one, invite the poor to your table. Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask; So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us. This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers; Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness. Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY

A Sermon by Pope Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ. This sermon is read from Volume 12 of Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Second Series. This work is in the public domain. It has been edited for comprehension. Bibliographic information is available on this Holy Communion podcast post at www.cooperatorsoftruth.com. This Sermon is the Sixth* of Eight Sermons on the Nativity written by Pope Saint Leo the Great . *Sermon #5 was missing from the collection I relied upon so it was skipped. On the Feast of the Nativity, VI. I.  Christmas morning is the most appropriate time for thoughts on the Nativity. On all days and at all times, dearly beloved, does the birth of our Lord and Saviour from the Virgin-mother occur to the thoughts of the faithful, who meditate on divine things, that the mind may be aroused to the acknowledgment of its Maker.  Whether it be occupied in the groans of supplication, or in the shouting of praise, or in the offering of sacrifice, the minds of the Christian faithful may employ their spiritual insight on nothing more frequently and more trustingly than on the fact that God, the Son of God, begotten of the co-eternal Father, was also born by a human birth.  But this Nativity which is to be adored in heaven and on earth is suggested to us by no time more than this when, with the early light still shedding its rays on nature, there is borne in upon our senses the brightness of this wondrous mystery.  For the angel Gabriel’s converse with the astonished Mary and her conception by the Holy Ghost as wondrously promised as believed, seem to recur not only to the memory but to the very eyes.  Today the Maker of the world was born of a Virgin’s womb, and He, who made all natures, became Son of her, whom He created.  To-day the Word of God appeared clothed in flesh, and That which had never been visible to human eyes began to be tangible to our hands as well.  Today the shepherds learnt from angels’ voices that the Saviour was born in the substance of our flesh and soul; and to-day the form of the Gospel message was pre-arranged by the leaders of the Lord’s flocks, so that we too may say with the army of the heavenly host:  “Glory in the highest to God, and on earth peace to men of good will.” II.  Christians are essentially participators in the nativity of Christ. Although, therefore, that infancy, which the majesty of God’s Son did not disdain, reached mature manhood by the growth of years and, when the triumph of His passion and resurrection was completed, all the actions of humility which were undertaken for us ceased, yet to-day’s festival renews for us the holy childhood of Jesus born of the Virgin Mary.  In adoring the birth of our Saviour, we find we are celebrating the commencement of our own life.  For the birth of Christ is the source of life for Christian folk, and the birthday of the Head is the birthday of the body. Although all the sons of the Church are separated from one another by intervals of time, yet as the entire body of the faithful being born in the font of baptism is crucified with Christ in His passion, raised again in His resurrection, and placed at the Father’s right hand in His ascension, so with Him are they born in this nativity.  For any believer in whatever part of the world that is re-born in Christ, quits the old paths of his original nature and passes into a new man by being re-born.  No longer is he reckoned of his earthly father’s stock but among the seed of the Saviour, Who became the Son of man in order that we might have the power to be the sons of God.  For unless He came down to us in this humiliation, no one would reach His presence by any merits of his own.  Let not earthly wisdom shroud in darkness the hearts of the called on this point, and let not the frailty of earthly thoughts raise itself against the loftiness of God’s grace, for it will soon return to the lowest dust.

A Sermon by Pope Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ. This sermon is read from Volume 12 of Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Second Series. This work is in the public domain. It has been edited for comprehension. Bibliographic information is available on this Holy Communion podcast post at www.cooperatorsoftruth.com or in the podcast feed. This Sermon is the Fourth of Eight Sermons on the Nativity written by Pope Saint Leo the Great. On the Feast of the Nativity, IV. The Incarnation fulfils all its types and promises. The Divine goodness, dearly beloved, has indeed always taken consideration for mankind in many different ways, and in many degrees. Out of His mercy has He imparted many gifts of His providence to the ages of old; but in these last days He has exceeded all the abundance of His usual kindness, when in Christ, mercy itself, has descended to sinners.  He is Truth to those that are astray, Life to those that are dead, that same Word, which is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father, took our humble nature into union with His Godhead, and, being born God of God, He might also be born Man of man.  This was indeed promised from the foundation of the world, and had always been prophesied by many intimations of facts and words7:  but how small a portion of mankind would these types and fore-shadowed mysteries have saved, had not the coming of Christ fulfilled those long and secret promises. And now what had  then benefited but a few believers in its expectation, now benefited myriads of the faithful in its accomplishment.  Now no longer, then, are we led to believe by signs and types, but being confirmed by the Gospel we worship that which we believe to have been done.  The prophetic lore assists our knowledge, so that we have no manner of doubt about that which we know to have been predicted by such sure oracles.  For hence it is that the Lord says to Abraham:  “In thy seed shall all nations be blessed”  hence David, in the spirit of prophecy, sings, saying:  “The Lord swore truth to David, and He shall not frustrate it:  of the fruit of thy loins will I set upon thy seat.”  And again the Lord says through Isaiah:  “behold a virgin shall conceive in her womb, and shall bear a Son, and His Name shall be called Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God with us,” and again, “a rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall arise from his root.”  In this rod, no doubt, the blessed Virgin Mary is predicted, she who sprung from the stock of Jesse and David and was impregnated by the Holy Ghost, and brought forth a new flower of human flesh, becoming a virgin-mother. II.  The Incarnation was the only effective remedy to the fall. Let the righteous then rejoice in the Lord, and let the hearts of believers turn to God’s praise, and the sons of men confess His wondrous acts.  For it is in this work of God especially that our humble estate realizes how highly its Maker values man.  After His great gift to mankind whereby he created us in His image and likeness, He contributed far ever more exceedingly to our restoration when the Lord Himself took on Him “the form of a slave.” For though all that the Creator expends upon His creature is part of one and the same Fatherly love, yet it is less wonderful that man should advance to divine things than that God should descend to humanity.  But unless the Almighty God did deign to do this, no kind of righteousness, no form of wisdom could rescue any one from the devil’s bondage and from the depths of eternal death.  For the condemnation that passes with sin from one upon all would remain, and our nature, corroded by its deadly wound, would discover no remedy, because it could not alter its state in its own strength.  For the first man received the substance of flesh from the earth, and was quickened with a rational spirit by the in-breathing of his Cr...