Christ Formed in Us - Fr. Gregory - December 24, 2023

In today’s sermon, Fr. Gregory focuses on the end of the Gospel reading describing the Virgin birth. In this passage, the Prophet Isaiah is quoted, “Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” Fr. Gregory explains why Orthodox Christians hold firmly to the Virgin birth, and he gives a defense of its validity.In addition, he provides evidence for the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God by quoting and expounding on Ezekiel 44:1. In this passage, God brought Ezekiel back out to, “the gate of the sanctuary that faces the east, but it was shut.” He said to Ezekiel, “This gate shall be shut. It shall not be opened and no man shall pass through it, because the Lord God of Israel will enter by it. Therefore, it shall be shut. As for the prince, he will sit in it to eat Bread before the Lord.” Two important notes help us understand this passage. First, the eastern gate was the entrance whereby God would enter the Temple. Second, the prince represents the Messiah, the son of the king. Here, we see that the eastern gate is sacred and set apart—only God and his Son may use it. This prophecy is always read on feasts of the Panagia, because it symbolizes her.Fr. Gregory concludes by challenging us to follow the Virgin’s example, dedicating ourselves to the worship of God, being consecrated as vessels for his will, and becoming temples where Christ is being formed. As Fr. Thomas Hopko said, “Christ is physically and spiritually formed in the body of Mary, so that he might be formed in us as well. This is the meaning of Christmas, which is the meaning of life itself.”