Dear Parishioners and Friends of Christ the Savior,

Christ is born!  Glorify Him!

Each Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of the Son of God in the flesh, we exchange gifts with one another as a token of our love and brotherly affection. This is an age old practice recalling the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, offered to the Christ Child by the wise men who had traveled from afar to Bethlehem in order to pay homage to the newly born King and Savior of the world.

As we know, not long after the wise men presented their gifts, St. James, the first bishop of Jerusalem, wrote in his Epistle to the early Christians that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” (James 1:17) As descendents of these first Christians, and joint heirs with them of God’s rich bounties, we not only share these same sentiments of St. James but we also recite these exact same words at every Divine Liturgy. Likewise, we also acknowledge with him that of all the good and perfect gifts of the Lord there was none so great or so perfect as that of the Only-Begotten Son – the One who was given by the Father because He so loved the world, and the One who gave Himself up on the Cross so that we might share in His divine life and kingdom.

And so, as we rejoice in the gift of divine life offered to us by Jesus Christ through His Incarnation, let us also resolve to offer to back to God a gift of like kind and value. As He has given His life to us and for us, let us also commend ourselves and each and all our life unto Him. There is no greater gift that we can offer to God for the One great and perfect gift He has given to us – His Only-Begotten Son.

Finally, I extend to you my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for the festive season and New Year. May the Lord bless you, your families, and friends with peace, good will, and love!

With prayerful best wishes,
And with love in Christ,

Fr. John