25 December 2021 Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)
Christmas Greetings from the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
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HEREFORE the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14; all scripture quoted is from the King James Version)
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OR unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
More than two millennia have passed since the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Redeemer. Calendars throughout most of the world publicly acknowledge His coming by the acknowledgment of that date. You will find that year-date on the title page of the Jerusalem Post, the Xinhua News of Peking, the Washington Post, the BBC, Pravda – all use that Gregorian date along with almost every major news outlet in the world. Yet, they would prefer to disregard the origin of the date often referring to it as BCE (before the Common Era) and CE (Common Era). Of course, they cannot deny what event the date is based upon. For what is common to both? Jesus Christ!
The world has sought every means to dismiss the importance of Christmas and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. They have attempted to replace the Person of Christ with a fabled little fat man who knows everything about the child and comes bearing gifts. If asked the meaning of Christmas, most five-year-olds will respond, “Santa Claus!” Our Lord Jesus Christ is the bearer of all good gifts, not Santa; and parents who teach their children to believe Santa is the reason for the season will find it difficult to later explain the deception and point them to Christ. Men have tried to explicitly remove Christ from Christmas by the presumed use of the Greek letter for ‘X’ and calling the holiday, Xmas! No matter their motive, isn’t it simpler to simply call the season Christmas? Others of the modern era are attempting to remove the very name of the holiday by referring to Christmas as the Winter Break, or simply ‘Holiday Season.’
Language and words are important. Saying precisely what we mean in truth is important. It is my prayer that the trend of returning to the true meaning of Christmas will continue and grow.
The story of Christmas in Luke, Chapter 2, is the most beautiful story ever told. The great host of Angels appeared, not to the rich and powerful first, but to poor shepherds on the hills around tiny Bethlehem. That is appropriate since Christ is our Good Shepherd; and the first to recognize Jesus, and rightly so, was another baby in the womb of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, for Elizabeth proclaimed, For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. (Luke 1:44)
Please bear in mind the true meaning of Christmas. It is not commercialism, beautifully bound presents, a rotund little red-clad imaginary figure, nor simply giving and receiving of presents. It is to celebrate the greatest Gift of all given to us and to all mankind. It is HIS birthday we celebrate. The only birthday gift He desires from us is our hearts. Have you given it?
Merry Christmas throughout the Twelve Days we celebrate and, indeed, the whole year.
A Happy & Blessed Christmas!
Jerry L. Ogles
Presiding Bishop
