A SONG FOR CHRISTMAS

Back in 2015, while I was serving at Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghagat Armenian Church in Belleville, Illinois, we had a beautiful Christmas tradition that I will never forget. Every December, our parish community would visit retirement homes and assisted-living centers to sing Christmas carols.

Many of those seniors lived with loneliness. Some were facing serious physical pain. Some could barely speak. Yet the moment the music began, faces softened, eyes filled with light, tears appeared. Those carols reached places words could not. They reminded them that heaven is real and that God has not forgotten them…

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THE CHRISTMAS DATE DILEMMA

For those who observe Christmas on January 6, particularly in the West, it can feel disheartening to see festive decorations, events, and celebrations leading up to December 25 while they patiently await their own celebration. By the time their Holy Nativity arrives, most decorations have already been taken down, and the holiday excitement has faded.

Additionally, many Armenians find themselves unsure whether to extend Christmas greetings and say “Merry Christmas” when, according to the Armenian calendar, Jesus has not yet been born. This seasonal dilemma can be quite confusing. Despite this, I know many Armenian Orthodox families who faithfully celebrate the Holy Nativity on January 6 but still gather with friends and loved ones on December 25 to partake in the broader holiday spirit.

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MAKE ROOM FOR THE MIRACLE

“She gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7). The Son of God, the Savior of the world, was about to enter history. The long-awaited Messiah was arriving, and yet, when Mary and Joseph knocked on the innkeeper’s door, the answer was, “No room.”

But that “no” didn’t stop God’s plan. That innkeeper’s refusal didn’t stop Jesus from being born. God’s purposes are going to be fulfilled whether we participate or not. Yet the innkeeper missed out on the greatest blessing of his life. He missed the privilege of housing the Son of God.

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THE GREATEST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS

On a crisp Christmas morning, a mother watched with joy as her six-year-old son eagerly unwrapped his gift. All he had asked for was a wheelbarrow, and there it was—bright red, shining under the glow of the Christmas tree. His eyes sparkled with excitement, lighting up the room brighter than any holiday sparkle.

As she prepared Christmas dinner, her son disappeared with his prized gift. Hours passed, and panic gripped her. Searching the house and yard, she found no sign of him. She ran to a pastor friend, pouring out her fears. The priest, full of compassion, offered to accompany her to the police station but suggested a quick stop at the church across the road to pray for the child’s recovery.

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THE TRUE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS

There’s a beautiful story about the birth of Jesus, that teaches us an incredible truth about God’s heart. The shepherds came to see the newborn King, bringing their gifts. Some brought fruits of their labor, others brought treasures from their homes. But one shepherd stood off to the side. He was very poor, he didn’t have anything to give. Can you imagine how he must have felt? Embarrassed, overlooked, like he didn’t belong.

But then something amazing happened. Mary, holding Jesus, looked at that shepherd with compassion. She saw his empty hands, and she called him forward, and she placed Jesus into his arms. In that moment, those hands that once seemed so empty became the cradle for the greatest gift in history.

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ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS CELEBRATED AT ST. JOHN

St. John the Baptist Armenian Church celebrated the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord (“Armenian Christmas”) on January 7, in keeping with the community’s longstanding custom of observing the holiday on the Sunday closest to January 6. In his Nativity homily, St. John’s parish priest, Rev. Fr. Guregh Hambardzumyan, spoke of the mystery of the Incarnation: Why did God become human? One answer is that through his birth in Bethlehem, Jesus, the Son of God, lowered Himself to …

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HOLY NATIVITY 2024 MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II

Today, on the feast of Holy Nativity and Epiphany, our Armenian nation, although grieving and heartbroken, but with unshaken faith, unbreakable in will and full of hope, bows down before Christ the child, who from the cave of Bethlehem shines as light and salvation to the entire world. With beautiful words of praise, the soul-stirring canticle conveys to us the wonder of the Holy Nativity. “O Birth-giver of God, tabernacle of light, you became the dawn of the Sun of righteousness and gave light to those of us who sit in darkness.”

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CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF BISHOP MESROP PARSAMYAN

Peace is one of the great themes of Christmas: the beautiful idea that flows through the story of Christ’s Nativity, and warms our hearts at this time of year. It was the message that the angels announced over the fields outside of Bethlehem, more than two thousand years ago: “Glory to God in the highest Heaven; and on Earth, Peace to those on whom His favor rests” (Lk 2:14). eace, of course, is something we all long for. We pray for peace among nations—for an end to hatred and conflict, and to the human waste of war. Likewise, we pray for inner peace: for

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THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS

I don’t need to tell anyone that Christmas is on display in all major outlets and markets as if the celebration were only a week or so away. Whatever you need, it’s there waiting for you: trees, lights, ornaments, toys, stockings, . . . The only thing missing is for some enterprising young “preacher” to set up a booth to “sell” you the Spirit of Christmas, all neatly packaged in brightly colored wrapping.

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