Advent Book Club 2020 Day 2

Day 2

Yesterday we talked about the idea of preparation and how the Church calls us, during this Advent season, to prepare for the Nativity of Christ. Archimandrite Vassilios shows us a number of hymns of the Church that point to the prophecy of the birth of Christ in the Old Testament. It is through these hymns that we learn that the birth of Christ was not a random event, but something that was planned by God, a necessary part of the salvation of mankind.
 
In the book of Micah we read the following about the coming of the Messiah:
 
1“And you, O Bethlehem, House of Ephrathah, though you are fewest in number among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the One to be ruler of Israel. His goings forth were from the beginning, even from everlasting.” 2 Therefore He shall give them up until the appointed time for her to give birth, and then the remnant of their brothers will return to the sons of Israel. 3 And He shall stand and see, and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, and they will dwell in the glory of the name of the Lord their God, for now they will be magnified unto the ends of the earth. Nelson, Thomas. The Orthodox Study Bible, eBook (pp. 1007-1008). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
 
Now with that passage in mind, let us look at one of the hymns from the Vesper Service of the Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ:
 
"O Bethlehem, land of Judah, splendidly prepare the divine cave for human habitation, for God is coming there to be born in the flesh from a Holy Virgin who knows not man, to save our race."
 
As we read these two passages, we can see the connection, we ca see how the prophecy in the book of Micah inspired the hymnographers of the Church. And as we see in the hymn from the Vesper service, there is that word again...PREPARE!
 
This preparation that the hymn calls to Bethlehem is also called to us, each and every one of us. As we hear the hymns of the Church sung, we begin to understand that Bethlehem "become a synonym for 'the Church'". Both the congregation and the individual. As Archimandrite Vassilio points out, we are to become Bethlehem, the humble place of Christ's Nativity. Therefore it is imperative that we prepare, that we get ready so that the new born Christ can make His dwelling within us:

Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the paths of our God.

In Christ
Fr. David