Primate’s Message on the Feast of the Nativity

The Birth of Christ is an invitation to a New Covenant
(Christmas Reflections)

“Christ is Born and Revealed.
Blessed is the Revelation of Christ.”

By the Grace of the Almighty, the dawn of the New Year is upon us, which is sanctified through the Miraculous Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The true meaning of newness would have been impossible to comprehend had it not been for God’s intervention in human spirituality. The concepts of time, life, and space cannot be perceived through the prism of newness without the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation. This is not merely a thought but rather an expression of living faith. Each time we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity, our essence is filled with profound spiritual bliss, to which we succumb willingly, so that our joy may be complete.

Humanity celebrates the Birth of Christ with cognizant faith. We realize that the Son of God, the Newborn Christ, delivers the divine love of the Father, the message of humility, peace, and appreciation for the God-given gift of life. The most essential aspect in this is that we are created in the image of God and are granted the power to become co-creators with the Almighty. The Birth of Christ is the most wondrous miracle, which gives birth to a new person within us. As we celebrate Christmas, we pose for a moment for spiritual reflection and self-examination in order to align our lives with the will of God.

Words cannot explain the mystery of the Incarnation. This miraculous sensation ought to be lived and experienced. That is why the folk tradition says: “We should rejoice the Birth of Christ like a child, for the heart of a child is as immaculate and pure as untouched snow.” The Birth of Christ gives meaning and purpose to the life of that child, reaffirming the covenant with God. As we set our New Year’s resolutions, similarly, we are called to renew our covenant with Christ, our Lord to once again reinstate the spiritual richness that lies deep within us. Therefore, in this New Year, we eagerly await the return to the state of child-like innocence.

May the miraculous Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ increase in us the courage of faith so that we fill our lives with new commitments. Christ’s life has become a path of service in the life of humanity. Therefore, let us follow that path by serving each other with renewed hearts. Like a lighthouse, His earthly life illuminated the world with radiant messages. Our Lord’s divine commandments continue to shed light on every aspect of our personal lives to this date. The greatest commandment of all, I believe, remains the conveyance of forgiveness. For a Christian, emancipation from inner captivity is achieved through forgiveness.

The miraculous Birth of Christ leads to a New Life in order that humanity may be granted a turning point and live not in accordance with their own will but rather the will of God. These life-giving messages stem from Christ’s sacred teachings and the Holy Scriptures.

God’s message of New Life is aptly addressed to the sons and daughters of our nation so that we internalize the love and wisdom of God and bring blessings to the Armenian Church and the Motherland. For us, celebrating the Birth of Christ means embracing the miraculous event, which in turn transcends our inner being wholly so that we may better serve Armenia and Holy Etchmiadzin with joyful hearts. Blessed are those who put their faith into action and accept the invitation to lead new lives.

The Birth of Christ, the Descent of the Son of God to earth, is the essence of humility conveyed to us by God so that we may ascend and inherit the Heavenly Kingdom. And if humanity responds to this divine call, we would gain a New Life with God.

With a blissful heart, we proclaim the miraculous Birth of the Son of God so that we may be born anew with Christ, the Child.

“Christ is Born and Revealed.
Blessed is the Revelation of Christ.”

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church North America
Feast of the Nativity January 6, 2019