Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan’s Christmas Message 2023

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Before I continue, I want to wish you a very happy and joy-filled Christmas! What an incredible opportunity God, in His mercy, has given us—His children, and all people—to have this very special day again, to remember and celebrate the most important event in history. Indeed, it wasn’t just an event; it was an event that altered history forever. And so, Christ is born, and His name ‘Jesus’ simply means ‘Savior’, the one who saves. Therefore, living in a perpetual, nonstop experience of being saved, healed, having peace, and joy—all of it signifies that Christ is present in our lives. Hence, we celebrate this incredible opportunity—the birth of Christ.

Lately, I’ve been contemplating this constantly. In the Book of Romans, in the Holy Scriptures, there’s this verse in Chapter 10 that says, ‘All those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved’. The word ‘all’ encompasses everyone —black or white, Germans and Americans, Indians, Afghanis, or people from any caste, religion, educated or illiterate, poor, blind, beggars, sick, or people in prison. I mean, it includes every human being. Anyone who acknowledges saying, ‘Lord Jesus Christ’ will find hope. The scripture emphasizes that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ, who came into this world to demonstrate God’s love by healing and setting captives free, embracing the poor, and bringing hope, remains the same today.

I encourage you, regardless of what background you come from or who you are, to remember the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially during this Christmas season, a time when the whole world naturally thinks about it. You know, I have this thing I use, a prayer rope. There’s a simple prayer: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I hold each knot on this prayer rope and continually pray that prayer. The reason I share this with you is that you can do this anytime, 24 hours a day, throughout your life, no matter the problem or difficulty. Simply try saying, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

Christmas remains a perpetual experience, so embrace this wonderful season of celebration, remembering Christ. As we journey into the future, remember that the future is always now. For God, it is always now, and for us, that is a reality. May the Lord bless you, and may His joy and peace be with you. Amen+”