Day 37

As we enter this week of the Nativity of Christ it is my hope that your sense of anticipation is growing. We are about to celebrate and remember a “watershed” moment in God’s plan for our salvation. In that light, I feel it is important for us to look back a bit and reflect on the necessity of this Feast.

As we read in the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve were given a single commandment: not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By disobeying this commandment, they severed the connection they had with God and were cast out of the Garden of Eden. Though created to live eternally and to walk and talk with God, they were now subject to death. Lastly, God placed the Cherubim with a fiery sword to guard the way to the tree of life. At this moment, God’s plan to salvation, of restoring our connection with Him was put in place. God did not want us to partake of the Tree of Life and live forever separated from Him. That image and likeness of God that we were created in was now tarnished and corrupted. But as we have spoken of, God has a plan, a plan to bring us back to Him, to restore us to that image that we had in the Garden of Eden. That plan now finds its fulfillment in a manger in Bethlehem.

Man fell from the divine and better life. Though made in the Image of God, through transgression he became subject to decay. Him the Wise Creator now refashions, for He has been glorified. (Nativity Canon)

Let us prepare to rejoice and be glad in the knowledge of our salvation!

In Christ

Fr. David