God “raised man to life again in Christ” (Eph 2:5). This is how the Apostle Paul, who persecuted Christ and then became his greatest preacher, testifies with his life as an example.
Disobedience to God had pushed man to a human-centered life dominated by sin and evil.
Disloyalty to God led man to abuse, mistreat the world entrusted to his care, and became the owner instead of the God-appointed caretaker of the earth.
Now, the man found to disobedient and unfaithful to his God-given calling had departed from God, had forged his divine image, in other words, those values and merits, heavenly graces and gifts that give man a unique identity and unique title against the creatures of the universe. Indeed, life away from God loses the meaning and purpose of its existence. Far from God, man becomes living dead, says the Apostle Paul (Eph 2:5). The Son of God became human so that those who believe in him may pass from death to life (John 3:16, 5:24), affirms John the Evangelist.
The Bible testifies that the Son of God became man so that:
the prodigal son returned to his father.
the person stuck in the mud of sin should recover.
The person lost in the darkness is guided by God’s light.
The good things of heaven speak to the man possessed by the corruption of the earth.
the person who betrayed his calling will reconcile with God.
grant eternal life to a person condemned to death.
The Son of God became human “because of his great love for us” (Jn 3:16, Eph 2:4-5).
In other words, driven by his bottomless love for man, the sky approached the earth drowned in the mud of corruption; God, to the rescue of the man who had became a prisoner of sin.
Here is the message of Bethlehem.
The baby Jesus born in Bethlehem is a bridge stretched from God to man, thrown from heaven to earth. Christ is God’s descent to man and man’s elevation to God. In Christ, God and man were united in an inseparable, unconfused and unmixed union, through the adoption of human nature by the Son of God.
Coming down to earth on the way to Bethlehem and becoming human, the Son of God gave an eternal message to man:
– I am the life-giving bread of life (John 6:48). it is necessary to taste it.
– I am the true way of life (John 14:6). it is necessary to walk on this road.
– I am the truth of life (John 14:5). it is necessary to follow it.
– I am eternal life (John 3:16). it is necessary to experience it.
Here is the message of Bethlehem.
Now, with the coming of the Son of God into the world, we passed from death to life, because:
we believed that Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem is the Savior of all mankind (Jn 5:24, Eph 2:8).
We promised to fill our lives with good deeds (Eph 2:10).
we reconciled with God (B. Kr 5.18).
we walked away from the sin and evil that lead man to death
ARAM I
CATHOLICOS
THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA
January 6, 2023
Antilias, Lebanon