December: Day 24: Teaching 4:
The All-Night Vigil Before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
(On the Preparation of Christians for the Worthy Celebration of the Feast of Christ)
The All-Night Vigil Before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
(On the Preparation of Christians for the Worthy Celebration of the Feast of Christ)
"Christ From Heaven, Come and Meet Him!"
I. What is needed to meet this highest Visitor of souls? How to prepare your soul to receive this most precious Guest?
II. a) First of all, my brethren, it is necessary to purify your soul by driving out from it all gross and impure thoughts and desires of the heart, by rejecting and trampling upon carnal lusts and passions. For this purpose the Only-begotten Son of God came into the world, to make us children of God, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, people of renewal; how it will be offensive to Him if we now appear before Him in the ancient impurity of sin, children of darkness and not of light? For this purpose He humbled Himself and lay down in a manger, in order to dwell and abide in us, to come to us and sup with us in the inner temple of our soul. How sad it will be for Him if this poor temple is filled with uncleanliness and the stench of sin, if our soul appears at this supper not in wedding attire, but in the unclean rags of passionate desires and worldly pleasures. Let everything evil, unclean, sinful be driven out of our hearts, from our very memory and imagination, by which the love of God is offended, by which the great and worshiped name of Christ is dishonored in us, by which the benevolent gaze of the Heavenly Father is turned away from us. Let us reduce, as far as possible, on these pre-festal days, even the cares of life, superfluous and vain, unnecessary and useless, so as not to distract our minds and hearts from holy thoughts and reverent feelings. It is not the excess of food and drink that will make the feast of Christ joyful and pleasant for us, but the grace of God, which comforts the soul, delights and gladdens the heart. It is not bright clothes that can make us worthy to appear before the face of the Lord without shame, but a pure conscience, an immaculate heart and the bright garment of good deeds. Thus, let us purify our soul, and it will be worthy not only to see the Lord in His humiliation and glory, but also to receive Him within itself.
b) How to adorn your soul to meet Him who is coming from heaven? With reverent thoughts and feelings, holy intentions and desires. May it rise to meet the Lord who is coming from heaven on the wings of fervent and warm prayer, may He not disdain our unworthiness and impurity, as He did not disdain the human race perishing in sins; may He give us grace and strength to love Him with all our hearts and to walk in all His commandments blamelessly all the days of our life; may He Himself come and dwell in us, as He deigned to dwell in a poor cave and recline in a manger, may He renew, cleanse and sanctify us with His grace, may He be in us and we in Him.
c) "You shall not appear empty before the Lord your God" - so it was commanded to the ancients that when they came to the temple of God on the days of holy feasts, they should bring their gifts as a sacrifice to the Lord. A favorable sacrifice is also needed from us, as an active testimony of our submission, gratitude and love to the Lord. This God-pleasing Christian sacrifice is every good deed of love for our neighbor, which, according to the word of the Apostle, is accepted by God as an acceptable sacrifice, as a fragrant savor; this is pure and selfless service to the Lord in the person of our neighbors, which He, in His mercy, imputes to Himself. Let us also bring to the Lord, the Lover of Mankind, who has emptied Himself for the sake of mercy, this sacrifice of love and mercy for our neighbor. In memory of the poverty and wretchedness of Jesus, may the want and need of the poor and needy be alleviated and replenished by us as much as possible, so that our poor brethren may taste consolation and joy on the bright day of the feast, for the sake of that great joy which the holy angels announced to people. In memory of the nakedness of the Divine Infant, swaddled in swaddling clothes, may the nakedness of those who have nothing to cover and protect their bodies from the cold be covered by us. In memory of the wretched wanderings of Joseph and Mary, who were forced to seek refuge in the cave of the dumb, "for there was no place for them in the inn," may a poor wanderer be brought into our house, may a homeless orphan or a homeless elder, who have nowhere to lay their heads, rest under our roof. Let in gratitude for our deliverance from the eternal, insoluble bonds of hades, if not resolved, then be lightened by our consolation and compassion for the bonds of those who, having bound themselves with crimes, prompted justice to bind them with the bonds of prison. Let those who, through the slander of the devil, had the misfortune to offend us in word or deed, hear from our lips the word of peace and forgiveness in memory of the world sung by the angels.
III. With such thoughts, feelings and deeds, we wish, brethren, for ourselves and for you to meet the great and luminous day of the Lord: may it shine in our hearts with the light of pure and holy joy in the Lord.
Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
