Fr Peter Helman

“For God alone my soul in silence waits, from him comes my salvation.” (Psalm 62:1)

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Dear Friends in Christ,

Here we are in the last week of the Season of advent, and the words of the psalmist from Morning Prayer today so fittingly voice the longing our of every heart for the superlative grace of God to lighten our darkness. The Church now looks toward the Nativity of Christ with expectant joy, as the Advent antiphon says:

"Our King and Saviour draweth nigh: O come, let us adore him"(BCP 43).

The fourth-century Cappadocian Father and Patriarch of Constantinople, Gregory the Theologian, once wrote that Christmas is a festival not of creation but of re-creation, for God becomes human to consecrate the universe. Christmas is a cosmic revelation of love that gives the created order new meaning, makes the whole creation new, and incomprehensibly brings about the renewal of all who are born on earth through the womb of the Virgin Mary. The whole created order participates in this event, as Blessed Paul the Apostle wrote to the church of Rome:

“For the creation waits with eager longing […] in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies”(Romans 8:19-23).

From the cave outside of Bethlehem, where Mary gives birth to Emmanuel, “God with Us,” the unapproachable Light of the invisible Godhead is become visible in the flesh of humanity for our sake. From the dark mouth of the cave, the pit opening wide, the Light shines forth in the shadow of death, into a world sick with sin, and transfigures the world with the brightness of dawn.

With the creation, then, we await the redemption of God that will surely visit those who reside in darkness and the shadow of death.

I leave you today with a portion of the Orthodox Akathist Hymn of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which so beautifully extols the expectant joy of Advent:

Trying to grasp the meaning of this mystery, the Virgin asked the holy messenger: "How is it possible that a son be born from a virginal womb? Tell me." And he answered her with awe, crying out in these words:

Hail, O hidden Sense of the Ineffable Plan!
Hail, O Belief in Silence That Must Be!
Hail, O Forecast of the Marvels of Christ!
Hail, O Fountainhead of truths concerning Him!
Hail, Celestial Ladder, by whom God came down!
Hail, O Bridge leading earthly ones to heaven!
Hail, O Wonder, ever-thrilling to the angels!
Hail, O Wound, ever-hurting to the demons!
Hail, O you who gave birth to Light ineffably!
Hail, O you who told no one how it was done!
Hail, O you who surpass the wisdom of the wise!
Hail, O you who enlighten faithful minds!
Hail, O Bride and Maiden ever-pure!

God bless you and yours today, and fill you with joy and peace in believing.

In Christ,
Fr. Peter