by St. Gregory Palamas - Homily 58
…He who defines all things and is limited by none is contained in a small makeshift manger. He who holds the universe and grasps it in the hollow of His hand, is wrapped in narrow swaddling bands and fastened into ordinary clothes. He who possesses the riches of inexhaustible treasures submits Himself voluntarily to such great poverty that he does not even have a place at the inn; and so He enters into a cave at the time of His birth, who was brought forth by God timelessly and impassibly and without beginning. And - how great a wonder! - not only does He who shares the nature of the Father on high put on our fallen nature through His birth, nor is He subject merely to the utter poverty of being born in a wretched cave, but right from the very start, while still in the womb, He accepts the final condemnation of our nature. He who is Lord of all is now ranked with the servants and enrolled with them, clearly making humble service to others no less honorable than the exercise of lordship…
…So now God not only forms human nature anew by His own hand in a mysterious way, but also keeps it near Him. Not only does He assume this nature and raise it up from the fall, but He inexpressibly clothes Himself in it and unites Himself inseparably with it and was born as both God and man from a woman, in the first instance, that he might take upon Himself the same nature which he formed in our forefathers, and from a woman who was a virgin; the second, so that he might make man new.
…So neither an angel nor a man, but the Lord Himself came and saved us, being made a man like us for our sake, and continuing unchanged as God. Building now the New Jerusalem, raising up a temple for Himself of living stones, and gathering us into a holy and worldwide Church, He sets in its foundation, which is Christ, the ever- flowing fount of grace. For the Lord’s eternal fullness of life, the all-wise and omnipotent divine nature is made one with human nature, which was led astray through lack of counsel, enslaved to the evil one out of weakness, and laid in the deepest caverns of Hades for want of divine life, that the Lord might instill into it wisdom and power and freedom and unfailing life.
…Brethren, let us preserve this peace in ourselves as far as we can, for we have received it as an inheritance from our Saviour who has now been born, who gives us the Spirit of adoption, through which we have become heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Let us be at peace with God, doing those things which are pleasing to Him, living chastely, telling the truth, behaving righteously, “continuing in prayer and supplication”, “singing and making melody in our heart”, not just with our lips. Let us be at peace with ourselves, by subjecting our flesh to our spirit, choosing to conduct ourselves according to our conscience, and having the inner world of our thoughts motivated by good order and purity. Thus we shall put an end to the civil conflict in our own midst. Let us be at peace with one another, “forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you”, and showing mercy to each other out of mutual love, just as Christ, solely for love of us, had mercy on us, and for our sake came down to us. Then, recalled from the sinful fall through His help and grace, and lifted high above this world by virtues, we may have our citizenship in heavenly places, whence also we wait for our hope, redemption from corruption and enjoyment of celestial and eternal blessings as children of the heavenly Father.
…May we all attain to this, at the future glorious Advent and Epiphany of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom belongs glory unto the ages. Amen.
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