Magyar Egyház, 1958 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1958-12-01 / 12. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 7 MAGYAR CHURCH Christian Instructions and Prayers by GEORGE SZIKSZAY Translated by PAUL PERENCZY CHRISTMAS Christmas is the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ. You, too, fellow Christian, must pledge yourself during the Christmas holidays to read the birth of Jesus Christ as it is written in the Scriptures, Matthew 1:18,21. Luke: 1. and 2„ attend the sermons pertaining to it, sing the hymns praising it, be filled with thanksgiving, contemplate especially that the birth of Christ is exceptionally wonderful, glorious and joyful. 1. It is stupendously marvelous because the Son of the everlasting God was conceived in the womb of a virgin through the secret work of the Holy Spirit and was born into this world, and so the Son of God became the Son of Man, became a suckling babe. It is amazingly wondrous that He was born in poor and humiliating circumstances; was not born from a royal princess but from a poor, humble virgin; not in Jerusalem or in a royal palace or large city, but in a small hamlet in Bethlehem in a humble home, a stable. After birth He was not taken to a suitable and decent place, but was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Even the fact that God became man and not a powerful Lord and King would have been a miracle, but when we know the miserable circumstances we realize the wonderful and deep humility. 2. Exceptionally glorious is the birth of Christ because His birth, which outwardly was so lowly, was made glorious by numerous things; no such similar birth has ever yet occurred in this world. Born from a virgin, without a man, solely through the divine work of God, and so without blemish, wanton and sin was He conceived. And when He was born a multitude of the heavenly hosts came down from heaven, praised God in the presence of men, proclaiming to them the good tidings and making them joyful. At the mean time an unusual star appeared in the east ‘ Which guided the wise men from faraway lands to the newborn child, who, in spite of His faint and poor circumstances, praised and worshiped Him and presented Him with gifts. Oh! marvelous and glorious birth which never occurred before and never will happen again amongst men, because God will never be born again! 3. Exceptionally joyful is the birth of Christ for us sinful creatures, because the messanger from heaven declared to the shepherds: “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour.” For when Jesus was born we received such a Deliverer, who will redeem us from eternal damnation: such a teacher was born, who taught us the way of salvation and gave instructions to do the right; such a servant was bom, who accomplished the redemption for us and opened our way to heaven; such a king was born, who conquered all our enemies and protects us and pleads for us before the Heavenly Father; such a patron was bom, in whose name we will receive what we beseech,- such a shepherd was born, who will visit us straying sheep and lead us back into the fold to the straight path towards the heavenly Canaan. Oh! blessed and joyful birth, which brought us so much precious and unvaluable good! In all these, fellow Christian, observe and praise the unspeakable love and mercy of God and His Holy Son to the sinners. For what purpose did He give His Son, and for what did His Son give himself. Only, to please you and to reward you with goodness and happiness. Observe and glorify his infinite wisdom; for, lo, what a wonderful way and means He has chosen for your redemption which you cannot even comprehend. Observe and sanctify His Omnipotence for He had caused the virgin to conceive and bear, and God appeared in the flesh, for this is even a more majestic work of the greatness of God than was the creation of the universe. Observe and exalt the truthfulness and unchangeability of His promises, for what He had promised in Paradise and foretold through the prophets concerning the birth of the Messiah, it was all fulfilled. If the birth of Christ is the fountain of so much spiritual good, rejoice with the hosts of believers. Be filled with thanksgiving and praise now and forevermore, but especially at Christmas time. Marvel God’s redemption of sinners through His wise counsel which neither man nor angel could have conceived, that-^od should become man in order that sinner«- should be saved. If the Son of God was willipg to leave paradise and to be absent for a wljjic from the felicity of heaven and the celestial bliss, then, you too, ought to be willing to refect those things which are vanity and upDieasing in His sight; if He, being God, was willing to humiliate himself, then, you too, ought not to be presumptious; if He became so poor that he was bom in a stable and His bed was the manger and all his life here on earth was spent in poverty, it should not be strange to you when you are suffering in poverty. Therefore, do not think that God keeps you in poverty because He is angry with you, for His beloved Son was destitute of all earthly things. Finally, if the Son of God came down from heaven to earth to take you up from earth to heaven, do not cleave to this world but endeavor and strive to get to heaven. He opened the way for you, follow, therefore, that path through faith and deed so that after this short and woeful, wretched life you may attain everlasting life.
