In Christi natalem

Of the same Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, On the Nativity of Christ. This day is full of fear and trembling, of great astonishment and boundless joy. For the Master comes forth from a virgin bride, having found the maiden an extraordinary bridal chamber. For He who was born above without corruption, this one is born below without seed. And He who dwelt above in the bosom of the Father, this one is carried in the arms of a virgin mother. If anyone, then, considers this day, he shrinks back in trembling; for it is full of fear and trembling, as has already been said. Today is the refutation of the faithlessness of the Jews and the beginning and advance of all things. Those who are girded with leaves and wear skins, these, when He is carried, carry Christ. Today, then, is a day of joy and turmoil; for it is war against the demons, and confusion of the devil, and destruction of the idols, death of death, and the beginning of the freedom of the whole world from this. And you, behold the holy virgin for me, and consider the matter, how it is boundless. For how is she not torn apart bearing the Lord? How is her womb not entirely dissolved, but she carries in her womb the Creator of the womb, as He Himself knows. And if Egypt could not bear a finger of God, how did a virgin bear the right hand of God? And if a man could not bear even a small weight of gold, how did the maiden bear the treasure of the Father? And if it were possible to come to speak with Christ and say:

When you were in the virgin’s womb, did you not have immeasurable nature and invincible strength? Did you not say that heaven was your throne? And being thus utterly uncontainable by all, you have the virgin’s belly as your dwelling. And how is it that you, who are in the bosom of your pure Father, are in the womb of an unwed maiden? “Yes,” he says, “Adam was corrupted; the world was flooded; Sodom was burned; the law was trampled; the Prophets were insulted; I, God, was not heard; the dragon ruled; the demons prevailed; the world was perishing; an angel could not become flesh and save it. For this reason… I take up the form of a servant…” O the wonder! I am astounded and shudder, my mind tossed by such great wonders. I find myself able to say only this: O depth of wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God! And this too is extraordinary and exceedingly paradoxical: the maiden is found to be both mother and virgin. She is not sown and yet gives birth; she is not plowed and yet brings forth; she does not await passion; she does not undergo corruption. She does not, receiving the corruptible… become slack in her limbs, because after giving birth without seed to the Lord, as much as of the Lord, the unwed child… Truly, how great are your works, Lord; you have made all things in wisdom. Consider also Adam dancing, carried along, and greatly reproaching the beast… And rejoicing, he says something: “Wretch, what did you gain by robbing me? What did you accomplish by robbing me?” Behold.

Wearing a fig leaf about his loins and clad in the garments of a corpse before, now see the life-bearing one being worn. Whence, he says, has such boldness been granted? Whence, “The Lord said to me: You are my son?” [...] For in order that you might attribute the birth to the holy Virgin and think her the true mother of the flesh, I now signify my Lord [...] for he is also the creator of the blessed Mary. To him is the glory and the power now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.