On the Nativity of Christ

Христос Раждається! Славіте Його!
Christ is born! Glorify Him!

Lots of time these past few days to reflect on the Mystery of our Lord’s Incarnation and first Manifestation to the world. A few years ago, the parish I serve (Holy Eucharist, Winnipeg) had a fine man assigned as a pastoral intern – Xenios Marckx. He introduced me to the writings of St Ephrem (Ephraim) the Syrian. St Ephrem has a way of writing that allows the reader/pray-er to simply jump into the pool of the Mystery of Salvation. I am always in awe after even a few minutes of reading/praying. Here is a small piece of his work on the Mystery of the Nativity of our Lord:

Glory to Your coming that restored humankind to life.
Glory to that One Who came to us by His First-born.
Glory to that Silent One Who spoke by means of His Voice.
Glory to that Sublime One Who was seen by means of His Voice.
Glory to that Sublime One Who was seen by means of His Dawn.
Glory to the Spiritual One Who was well-pleased
that His Child should become a body so that through Him His power might be felt
and the bodies of His kindred might live again.
Glory to that Hidden One Whose Child was revealed.
Glory to that Living One Whose Son became a mortal.
Glory to that Great One Whose Son descended and became small.
Glory to that Great One Who fashioned Him,
the Image of His greatness and Form for His hiddenness.
With the eye and the mind–with both of them we saw Him.
Glory to that Hidden One Who even to the mind
is utterly imperceptible to those who investigate Him.
But by His grace through His humanity
a nature never before fathomed is now perceived.

St. Ephrem the Syrian (4th C), “Hymns On the Nativity”
Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns, pages 83-84
Classics of Western Spirituality
Paulist Press