The Christmas Message of Bishop Mykola

THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
OF BISHOP MYKOLA

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father.”
(John 1:14)

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Dear Beloved in Christ!

During these days, we join Christians from around the world in celebrating the birth of Christ — the great miracle of the Incarnation of the living Word. The Word that was from the beginning, that was with God, and that was God (cf. John 1:1). Jesus comes into this world as a small child, but before that, the angel appears to the Virgin Mary and announces to her that she will give birth to the Son of God, to which Mary responds in faith and obedience: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). And the Word became flesh.

Jesus does not come into this world as an omnipotent king or warrior, to conquer everyone with his glory, but comes into this world as a small, defenceless child. He becomes like us and walks the path of human life with all its difficulties, joys, pains, deprivations, and trials together with us. The purpose of this coming is the salvation of mankind. That is why Christ, like no other, understands us, loves us, and calls us: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Christ’s Word binds us together, gives us strength to resist evil, and allows us to move forward. The Word of God is given to us not to be kept for ourselves but to be shared with others. Today Jesus Christ speaks to us as he once spoke to his disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The newborn child invites us to carry this Good News of salvation into the world so that our lives may be a profound testimony of the Word of God to others.

For Christians, God’s Word, the Holy Gospel, is the fundamental foundation. Can we be true followers of Jesus Christ without knowing His Word? Can a student learn something without reading the works of his teacher? In the same way, can we Christians be called disciples of Jesus Christ without reading the Holy Gospel?

So, when you gather with your family to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, make sure that He is present, invite Him into your home, and begin this celebration by reading God’s Word. We are the ones who set the example of a good Christian life for our children; we are the ones who pass on our faith to them and are the best example of a life in Christ. Not all of us can come to church every day because we have our own responsibilities and concerns. But I urge you all to at least read God’s Word daily, cultivate the practice of praying together with your family, and on Sunday, when you come home after the Divine Liturgy to sit down to a meal together where you can discuss the Word of God you heard in church.

For the third year, we are celebrating this Christmas in extremely difficult circumstances for Ukraine—in this time of brutal war. In the midst of all this pain, suffering, and death, we sometimes do not understand why the Lord will not stop the enemy, and, like the psalmist, we cry out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). In our human understanding, we see this pain and want the Lord to take it away from us. However, we are called to remember the Little Child who comes into this world and dwells among us, as a reminder that the Lord is near, that the Lord is with us, and He is with us even when it seems that there is no hope.

Let us look around and find Christ in our neighbour, in the one who needs help, who needs protection, who needs our support, love, and mercy. After all, “as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40) and “as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me” (Matthew 25:45). So let us notice these people whom we can help, and I urge you to join the charitable initiatives of our eparchy and those in your parishes.

During Great Vespers of the Nativity, we sing, “Let heaven and earth rejoice with the prophets today; let angels and men rejoice spiritually, for God has appeared in the flesh to those who sat in darkness and shadow.” Let this Christmas celebration be an opportunity to reach out to those who are in darkness, who are in despair, who are in need and share this joy with them. Let us share the living Word of Christ with them and show them God’s love and His mercy. May peace and tranquillity dwell in the soul of each of you.

I join you in prayer and wish you a blessed Christmas and New Year!

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
The blessing of the Lord be upon you!

† MYKOLA
CARDINAL BYCHOK, CSsR
Eparch of Melbourne

Given in Melbourne,
at our Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul,
on the 14^th day of December, in the Year of Our Lord 2024,
the Holy Martyrs Thyrsos, Leukios, Philemon, Apollonius, and Kallinikos