The Nativity of Christ: Homily 6: On the Words of the Kontakion of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko)

1. The Feasts of the Lord

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko 

I. The Nativity of Christ

Homily No. 6: On the Words of the Kontakion of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ

Today the Virgin gives birth to Him who is above all being,
and the earth offers a cave to Him whom no one can approach.
Angels with shepherds give glory,
and magi journey with a star,
for to us there has been born
a little Child, God before the ages.

I

Here is one of the church hymns for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, composed by the divinely enlightened Reader of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, Saint Romanos. It briefly yet clearly presents the story of Christ's Nativity — stating who is born today and from whom, where He is born and for what purpose, and how the newborn was greeted by heaven and earth, by angels and humans.

II

Who is born today?

"Him who is above all being," "God before the ages" —  He who existed before all that exists in the world, before the world itself and time; He who was born of God the Father before all ages – consubstantial and coeternal with Him; today the Only-Begotten and of the same essence with God the Father, the Son of God, is born.

Of whom is He born?

Of a Virgin. “Today the Virgin gives birth to Him who is above all being.”

How does a Virgin give birth? 

She gives birth contrary to the laws of nature. Yes, we are not the first to be perplexed at hearing this mystery. Long before us, righteous Symeon — one of the Seventy Translators — expressed similar perplexity. When translating the book of the Prophet Isaiah from Hebrew into Greek and coming to the words: “Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,” he doubted and wished to erase them from his manuscript. But an angel of the Lord appeared to him, restrained his hand, and said: “Believe what is written. You yourself shall behold the event of this greatest mystery, for you shall not see death until you see Christ the Lord born of the Most Holy Virgin.” Symeon obeyed the angel and awaited the fulfillment of the prophecy. Indeed, 277 years later, Symeon was granted to take into his arms the Lord born of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and after giving thanks to God who had granted salvation to Israel, he peacefully departed this life.

Even the Most Holy Virgin Mary herself, the Theotokos — who had vowed to God to remain forever a virgin and was betrothed to the holy elder Joseph solely for the safeguarding of her virginity — did she not respond with perplexity to the annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel concerning her conceiving and bearing a Son, asking: “How shall this be, since I know not a man?” But the Archangel Gabriel answered her: “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; therefore also that which is born shall be holy," the Son of God — without ancestral sin.”

Thus, in the conception and birth of Him who is above all being from the Virgin, it is not the weak forces of created nature that act — not the laws of nature — but the almighty power of God. The Virgin gives birth to Him who is above all being without pain, without corruption, remaining a Virgin, just as a tree bears fruit without harm to itself, and as the burning bush, according to Saint John of Damascus, burned yet was not consumed.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).

Where God wills, the order of nature is overcome.

Where does the Virgin give birth to the God-Child?

In a cave. “The earth offers a cave to Him whom no one can approach.”

What kind of cave is this? 

A cave in the hillside upon which Bethlehem stood, where shepherds drove their livestock during foul weather. In Bethlehem, the city of David — where the Most Holy Virgin Mary and righteous Joseph had come from Nazareth as descendants of David, on account of the census decreed by the Roman emperor Augustus — there was such a great influx of people that no suitable lodging could be found for the poor woman about to give birth. The Theotokos and her betrothed were compelled to seek shelter outside the city. Nearby there was a stable cave, and there they found refuge. There the Virgin gave birth to the Child, wrapped Him herself in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger.

Oh, the extreme condescension of God toward us, and His immeasurable love for mankind! He whom the heavens and the heaven of heavens cannot contain (1 Kings 8:27), who dwells in unapproachable light, who is the radiance of the Father’s glory, who covers the heavens with clouds — He appears on earth as a helpless Infant, takes shelter in a cave, lies in a manger for animals, and is wrapped in poor swaddling clothes.

For what purpose does the Lord of glory, the King of heaven and earth, the express image of the Father’s hypostasis, the Son of God, accept such humiliation?

For our sake as human beings: on the one hand, to restore in us the fallen image of God, to break the bonds of our transgressions, to raise us from the depths of bestiality to the height of godlikeness, to lift us from this earthly vale of tears to the lofty and radiant dwellings of our Heavenly Father; and on the other hand, to teach us to imitate childlike innocence, infant simplicity and trust, not to disdain poverty, to avoid luxury, and to learn to place greatness in humility and height in abasement.

How did heaven and earth, angels and mankind, receive the Newborn Child?

“Angels with shepherds give glory, and magi journey with a star.”

At the hour of Christ the Savior’s birth, a heavenly angel appeared in divine light to the shepherds of Bethlehem who were keeping watch over their flocks by night, and said to them: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people: for today in the city of David there is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” And this shall be the sign: they would find a swaddled Infant lying in a manger. Suddenly, with the angel appeared a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and crying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom He is pleased!”

The shepherds hastened to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph and the Infant lying in the manger, recounted what had been told them by the angel, and all who heard marveled. Then the shepherds returned to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen.

Who were the Magi, and what was the star with which they journeyed?

The Magi were rulers of individual regions, often called kings in Holy Scripture, learned in astronomy — the science of the stars. Once, while observing the heavenly bodies, they saw in the East a new and extraordinary star. Comparing it carefully with other stars and with comets, they found it unlike anything known. Astonished, they concluded that it signified something extraordinary. At that time, a rumor circulated throughout the world that from Judea would arise a Ruler of the universe. In accordance with this belief — and especially by divine inspiration, as Saint Leo the Great teaches — the Magi became convinced that the star was the star of the newborn King of the Jews.

Having prepared for the journey, each set out from his own land: Melchior from Persia, Gaspar from Arabia, and Balthasar from Ethiopia. Guided by the star, after nine months they reached Jerusalem. Learning from King Herod the Idumaean where Christ was to be born, they went to Bethlehem. The star, which had disappeared upon their entering Jerusalem, reappeared as they left the city, led them to Bethlehem, and descended to hover above the place where the newborn King lay.

Entering the house, they saw the Child with His Mother Mary, fell down, and worshiped Him. Opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh — gold as to a King, frankincense as to God, and myrrh as to a man who would die for the sins of the world. After worshiping the God-Child, the Magi returned to their lands, becoming the firstfruits of Christianity among the pagans.

III

Thus, Christian brethren, such is the essence and explanation of the church hymn: “Today the Virgin gives birth to Him who is above all being…”

From the Virgin today is born not a mere man, but God as well. In the Person of the One born, two natures — divine and human — are united without division, without confusion, without change, and without separation. According to His divinity, He is begotten before all ages of God the Father; according to His humanity, He is born in time of the Most Holy Virgin Mary by the creative action of the Holy Spirit.

Though the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God is incomprehensible to earthly minds, the chosen of God rise from perplexity to reverent awe before God and submission to His will. Though the circumstances of the incarnate birth of the God-man are humble and poor, yet at His birth all creation is stirred and hastens to worship Him as its Creator, offering its gifts: angels—song; the heavens—a star; the shepherds—a miracle; the Magi—treasures; the earth—a cave; the wilderness—a manger; and mankind—the Virgin Mother.

Appendix to Homily No. 6

The Origin of the Church Hymn “Today the Virgin gives birth to Him who is above all being”

Saint Romanos the Melodist was born to poor but noble parents in Syria. From childhood he was distinguished by meekness and good conduct, but lacked education and did not even know how to read. Serving as a Reader in a Syrian church, his diligence and humility earned the goodwill of many. Yet his simplicity made him the object of mockery among the frivolous and arrogant — mockery that increased after he was transferred to Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

Despite this, Romanos served with zeal. Patriarch Euthymios, seeing his devotion, granted him an equal share with the other clergy. This provoked envy and hostility. Finally, on the eve of the Nativity, the clergy publicly humiliated him, forcing him to sing the kontakion alone from the ambo. Distraught, Romanos prayed with tears before the icon of the Theotokos.

That night, the Mother of God appeared to him in a dream, gave him a scroll, and said: “Open your mouth and eat this.” Upon awakening, he felt extraordinary joy and illumination. At the vigil, Romanos ascended the ambo and sang the new kontakion inspired by the Holy Spirit. The entire church was astonished. The clergy begged his forgiveness, and he was later ordained a Deacon. From then on, hymns poured forth from him like a mighty river; he composed more than a thousand kontakia to the glory of God.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.