The Message of Christmas

I read about a Christmas program arranged by a church that included a manger scene did by their Sunday school children. The smallest character in the whole manger scene was a 5-year-old little boy who was accommodated as a shepherd who was supposed to come along with the group and stand near the manger. This five-year-old boy, the smallest one in the whole group, was naughty and hyperactive. There was this one week of rehearsal and this whole week he was everywhere, running here and there and disturbing different scenes. And this drama director was really worried how he’s going to perform during that particular day.

So, during the rehearsal the whole week they were using a baby doll, a doll as baby Jesus for the practice. But on that day, when the Christmas program was arranged, the couple, Mary and Joseph were actually played by a husband and wife and they had small baby. And they used their baby, instead of that doll in the manger.

So, the play began and everything was going well. So, it was the time for the shepherd to come in with all the sheep. They came and this five-year-old boy was also there. He came with the group near to the manger. Being naughty and hyperactive, he came close to the manager and he noticed something. He found the baby moving. So, he was shocked and surprised, and he shouted loudly that “He is alive!”

That’s the message of Christmas.

In orthodox faith, the greeting that is used during Christmas season is “Jesus is born! Glorify Him!”, and the more shocking and the surprising message is, “God became like us in the incarnation”. God became one of us, just like us. And God became human to lift us out of our sinfulness and to transfigure and transform our humanity to become like God, and to become His children. And God became human so that we human could become like God – theosis.