In diem natalem

On the Birthday of Our Savior Jesus Christ, which was then still unknown, but was made known a few years ago by some who came from the West and announced it. 1. What the patriarchs once labored over, the prophets foretold, and the righteous longed to see, these things have come to pass and have reached their fulfillment today: and God has appeared on earth through flesh and has lived among men. Let us therefore rejoice and be glad, beloved. For if John, while in his mother’s womb, leaped when Mary visited Elizabeth, how much more must we, who have seen not Mary but our Savior himself born today, leap and rejoice and marvel and be astounded at the magnitude of the economy, which surpasses all understanding. For consider how great a thing it is to see the sun descend from the heavens and run upon the earth, sending forth its rays from there to all. If this had happened with the visible luminary, it would have astounded all who beheld it; now consider and reflect how great a thing it is to see the sun of righteousness sending forth its rays from our flesh and illuminating our souls.

For a long time I longed to see this day, and not simply to see it, but with so great a multitude; and I continually prayed that the assembly might be filled for us as it is now seen to be filled. This, then, has come to pass and reached its fulfillment. And yet it is not yet the tenth year since this day became manifest and known to us; but nevertheless, as if it had been handed down to us from above and from many years ago, it has flourished through your zeal. Hence one would not err in calling it both new and ancient at once: new because it has been recently made known to us, but old and ancient because it has quickly become of equal age with the older festivals and has reached the same measure of maturity as them. For just as noble and well-born plants (for they too are placed in the earth at the same time, and immediately shoot up to great height and are laden with fruit), so also this day, though known from of old among those dwelling in the West, has now been brought to us, and not many years ago, has suddenly shot up and borne such fruit as is now to be seen, with our precincts filled and the whole church crowded by the multitude of those who have gathered. Therefore, look for the worthy recompense for such zeal from Christ, who was born in the flesh today; He will surely reward you for this eagerness; for love and zeal for the day is the greatest sign of love for the one who was born.

If it is necessary that something also be brought in by us fellow slaves, we too will bring in what is within our power—or rather, whatever the grace of God grants to be said for your benefit. What, then, do you desire to hear today? What else but about this day? For I know well that many even now dispute with one another, some accusing, others defending; and much talk about this day occurs everywhere, some blaming that it is something new and recent, and has now been introduced, others defending that it is old and ancient, the prophets having already foretold about his birth, and that it has become manifest and notable from above to those dwelling from Thrace as far as Gadeira. Come, then, let us set in motion the discourse about these matters. For if, while disputed, it enjoys such goodwill from you, if it should become better known, it is evident that it will enjoy much more zeal, the clarity of teaching producing in you a greater disposition toward it. I have, then, three proofs to state, through which we will know for certain that this is the time in which our Lord Jesus Christ, the God Logos, was born. And of these three, one proof is this: that the feast was so quickly announced everywhere, and advanced to such a height, and flourished; and what Gamaliel said about the proclamation—that if it is from men, it will be dissolved, but if it is from God, you cannot dissolve it, lest you be found to be fighters against God.

This I too would confidently say about this day: because the Word is God from God, for this reason it was not only not destroyed, but each year it increases and becomes more splendid. Indeed, the proclamation in a few years took over the entire inhabited world, even though tentmakers, fishermen, illiterates, and commoners were conveying it everywhere. But the lowliness of those serving did no harm, because the power of the one proclaimed anticipated everything, removed the obstacles, and displayed its own strength. If any contentious person cannot accept what has been said, there is also a second argument to offer. What is this? The one from the census recorded in the Gospels. For it happened, says the evangelist, in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus for the entire inhabited world to be registered. This census was the first, conducted when Quirinius was governing Syria. And everyone went to be registered, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was pregnant. And it happened while they were there that her days to give birth were fulfilled, and she bore her firstborn son, and she swaddled him and laid him in the manger, because they had no place in the inn. From this it is clear that he was born during the first census.

And for those who wish, it is possible to examine the ancient public records lying in Rome and, learning the time of the census, to know precisely. What then, someone says, is this to us, who are not there nor were present? But listen, and do not disbelieve, that we have received the day from those who know these things accurately and inhabit that city. For those dwelling there, celebrating it from above and from ancient tradition, have now transmitted its knowledge to us. For the evangelist did not simply indicate this time, but so as to make the day clear and known to us, and to demonstrate the economy of God. For Augustus did not issue this decree from himself or on his own at that time, but with God moving his soul, so that even unwillingly he might serve the presence of the Only-begotten. And what does this contribute to this economy, someone says? It is not small, nor ordinary, beloved, but very great, and one of the necessary and earnest matters. What is this? The region of Galilee is in Palestine, and Nazareth is a city of Galilee. Again, the region of Judea is what it is, called thus by the inhabitants, and Bethlehem is a city of Judea. Now all the prophets foretold that Christ would come not from Nazareth, but from Bethlehem, and would be born there. For it is written thus: "And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for from you will come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.

And the Jews of that time, when asked by Herod where Christ was born, gave him this testimony. For this reason, when Nathanael said to Philip—since Philip was saying, "We have found Jesus from Nazareth"—"Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Christ says about him, "Behold, truly an Israelite in whom there is no guile." And why, it is asked, did he praise him? Because he was not carried away by Philip's announcement, but knew clearly and precisely that Christ had to be born not in Nazareth nor in Galilee, but in Judea and in Bethlehem—which indeed is what happened. Since, then, Philip was ignorant of this, while Nathanael, being learned in the law, answered according to what was said in the prophecy from above, knowing that Christ would not come from Nazareth—for this reason Christ says, "Behold, truly an Israelite in whom there is no guile." For this reason also some of the Jews said to Nicodemus, "Investigate, and see that a prophet has not arisen from Galilee." And again elsewhere, "Christ does not come from the village of Bethlehem, where David was." And it was the common vote of all that he must certainly come from there, not from Galilee. Since, then, Joseph and Mary, being citizens of Bethlehem, left that place and established their life in Nazareth, and lived there (as indeed often happens with many people, who leave the cities where they were born and dwell in others where they did not originally grow up), it was necessary for Christ to be born in Bethlehem.

The decree went out, and it forced them, even unwillingly, into that city, God thus arranging it. For the law which commanded each to register in his own native land compelled them to arise from there—I mean from Nazareth—and to come to Bethlehem in order to register. This very thing the Evangelist also hinted at when he said: "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to register with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was pregnant. And it happened that while they were there, the days for her to give birth were completed, and she bore her firstborn son." 3. Do you see, beloved, the economy of God, who arranges his own affairs even through unbelievers and believers, so that those alien to piety might learn his strength and power? And the star led the Magi from the East, while the law drew Mary to the native land spoken of by the prophets. From this it is clear to us that the Virgin is also of the Davidic line; for since she was from Bethlehem, it is evident that she was of the house and lineage of David. The Evangelist also indicated this above, where he said: "And Joseph also went up from Galilee with Mary, because he was of the house and lineage of David." For since Joseph's genealogy was given, but no one has enumerated her ancestors for us as they have his, so that you might not doubt and say, "How then is it clear that she also is of David?" listen:

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The phrase "of the house of David" is to be understood as spoken concerning the Virgin; this is therefore indicated here as well. For this reason both the decree and this law were issued, bringing them up to Bethlehem; for as soon as they set foot in the city, Jesus was immediately born. For this reason he was laid in a manger, since many were then running together from all sides, occupying the places in advance, and causing great crowding; hence the Magi also worshipped him there. But in order to provide you with a clearer and more familiar demonstration, rise up with me now, I beg you; for I wish to set in motion a long account and to read ancient laws, so that the argument may become clearer to you from all sides. There was an ancient law among the Jews; or rather, let me lead the account further back: When God freed the people of the Hebrews from the Egyptian disturbances and the tyranny of the barbarian, seeing that they still had remnants of impiety and were excited about perceptible things, admiring the sizes and beauties of temples, he ordered them to build a temple, one that would surpass all temples on earth not only in the costliness of its material, nor in the variety of its art, but also in the form of its construction.

And just as an affectionate father, after a long time, takes his son who has associated with vile, corrupt, and dissolute men and has enjoyed much luxury, and establishes him with security and dignity in greater abundance, so that he neither feels constrained by remembering the past nor comes to desire those things—so also God, seeing the Jews captivated by sensible things, makes the abundance so great in these matters that they never come to desire the things of the Egyptians or those among the Egyptians. And he constructs the temple as an image of the entire world, both sensible and intelligible. For just as there is earth and heaven, and between them the firmament as a partition, so he ordered that temple to be made. And dividing this temple into two, and placing a curtain in the middle, he allowed the part outside the curtain to be accessible to all, but the part within to be inaccessible and invisible to all except the high priest alone. And that this is not our conjecture, but that the temple was constructed as a type of the entire world, listen to what Paul says, speaking about Christ when he ascended into heaven: "For Christ did not enter into handmade sanctuaries, which are copies of the true ones," showing that the things here were copies of the true ones.

And that the veil separated the Holy of Holies from the outer sanctuary, just as this heaven walls off the things above it from all these things among us, hear how he also hinted at this, calling the heaven a veil. For, speaking about hope, that we have it as an anchor of the soul, secure and steadfast, he added: "And entering into the inner part of the veil, where Jesus, the forerunner, entered on our behalf, above the heaven." Do you see how he called the heaven a veil? Outside the veil, then, were the lampstand, the table, and the bronze altar, receiving the sacrifices and the whole burnt offerings; but inside the veil was the ark, covered all around with gold, containing the tablets of the covenant, the golden jar, the rod of Aaron that budded, and a golden altar, not for sacrifices or whole burnt offerings, but for incense only. And the outer parts were permitted to be trodden by all, but the inner parts only by the high priest. And I will again provide testimony of these things from Paul, speaking somewhat as follows: "Now the first tabernacle had ordinances of worship, and the outer sanctuary." He calls the outer sanctuary "worldly sanctuary," because it was lawful for the whole world to enter; "in which were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation of the loaves. But after the second veil, a tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, having a golden censer, and the ark of the covenant covered all around with gold; in which were a golden jar containing the manna, the rod of Aaron that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

Above it were Cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. With these things thus arranged, the priests enter the first tent continually, performing the liturgies; but into the second tent only once a year the high priest alone enters, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the ignorances of the people. Do you see that the high priest enters alone, and only once in the whole year? 4. What then, someone says, does this have to do with the present day? Wait a little, and do not be disturbed. For we are digging the channel from above, and we are hastening to come to the very summit, so that everything may become clear to you with ease; rather, so that the discourse may not remain obscure for long, nor, being unclear, cause you to give up because of the length of what is said, I will now tell you the reason for which I have stirred up all these things. What then is the reason? When Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John, Mary began to conceive. If, therefore, we learn what that sixth month was, we will also know when Mary began to conceive; then, having learned when she began to conceive, we will also know when she gave birth, counting nine months from the conception. How then will we know what was the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy? If we learn what month it was in which she began to conceive. And how will we know what month it was in which she conceived? If we learn at what time Zacharias, her husband, was given the good news. And how will this become known to us? From the divine Scriptures.

as the holy Gospel says, that the angel announced to Zacharias, who was within the Holy of Holies, and told him about the birth of John. If, then, it is clearly demonstrated from the Scriptures that the high priest entered the Holy of Holies only once, and alone, and when, and in which month of the year this single entry occurs, the time at which he was announced will be evident; and with this made clear, the beginning of the conception will be known to all. That he entered once a year, Paul indicated, and Moses makes this same thing clear, speaking thus: And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron your brother, and let him not enter at every hour into the inner sanctuary beyond the veil, before the face of the mercy seat, which is upon the ark of the testimony, and he will not die. And again: And no man shall be in the tent of the testimony, when he enters to make atonement in the sanctuary, until he comes out, and he will make atonement for himself, and for his house, and for the whole assembly of the sons of Israel; and he will make atonement upon the altar before the Lord. That he did not enter the Holy of Holies at all times, nor was it lawful for anyone to touch him while he was within, but to stand outside by the veil, is clear from these things. But hold these things accurately. For it remains to show what the time was when he entered the Holy of Holies, and that he did this only once a year alone. From where, then, is this clear? From this same book. For it speaks somewhat as follows:

In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls, and you shall do no work on it, the native-born and the proselyte who dwells among you. For on this day he shall make expiation for you, to cleanse you from all your sins; before the Lord you shall be cleansed. A sabbath of sabbaths, this shall be a rest for you, and you shall humble your souls; it shall be an eternal ordinance for you. And the priest shall make expiation, whom they anoint, and whom they consecrate his hands to serve as priest after his father; and he shall put on his holy vestment, and he shall make expiation for the Holy of Holies, and for the Tent of Testimony, and he shall make expiation for the altar, and he shall make expiation for the sins of the priests, and for the whole congregation he shall make expiation. And this shall be for you an eternal ordinance, to make expiation for the sons of Israel from all their sins. It shall be done once a year, as the Lord commanded Moses. Here he speaks about the Feast of Tabernacles. For then once a year the high priest entered; which indeed he himself made clear, saying that this shall be done once a year.

5. If, then, at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles the high priest alone enters the Holy of Holies, let us now demonstrate that the angel appeared to Zacharias when he was in the Holy of Holies; for he appeared to him alone while he was offering incense, and the high priest never enters alone except at that time. Nothing prevents us from hearing the words themselves: It happened in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, that there was a certain priest named Zacharias, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And it happened that while he was serving as priest in the order of his course before God, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen to offer incense, having entered the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense. Recall for me, beloved, that testimony which says: And no man shall be in the tent of the testimony when he enters to make expiation in the Holy of Holies, until he comes out. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense. It did not say, of the altar of sacrifices, but, of the altar of incense. For the outer altar was for sacrifices and whole burnt offerings, but the inner one for incense. So from this, and from his appearing to him alone, and from its being said that the people were outside awaiting him, it is evident that he entered the Holy of Holies. And Zacharias was troubled when he saw, and fear fell upon him. And the angel said to him:

Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled at his delay. When he came out, he made signs to them, and was unable to speak. Do you see that he was within the veil? Then it was that he received the good news. Now the time of the annunciation was that of the Feast of Tabernacles and of the fast; for this is what is meant by, "Humble your souls." This feast is celebrated by the Jews about the end of the month Gorpiaeus, as you yourselves bear witness; for then we spent many and long discourses against the Jews, accusing them of their untimely fast. Then it was that Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias, conceived; and she hid herself for five months, saying, "Thus has the Lord done for me in the days when he deigned to remove my reproach among men." It is now opportune to show further that when she was in the sixth month of her pregnancy with John, Mary received the annunciation of her conception. For Gabriel came to her and said, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found grace with God.

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. And as she was troubled and sought to learn the manner, the angel answered her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child born of you will be holy and will be called Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth your kinswoman, she too has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren, because no word is impossible for God. If, then, Elizabeth began to conceive after the month of Gorpiaeus, as has been demonstrated, one must count the intervening months as six. These months, then, are Hyperberetaeus, Dius, Apellaeus, Audonaeus, Peritius, Dystrus. After this sixth month, Mary began her conception; hence, counting nine months, we will arrive at this present month. Therefore the first month of the Lord's conception is April, which is Xanthicus; after which come Artemisius, Desius, Panemus, Lōius, Gorpiaeus, Hyperberetaeus, Dius, Apellaeus, and this is the present month, in which we celebrate the day. And so that what is said may become even clearer to you, taking up the same points again briefly, I will say to your love: Once a year the high priest alone entered the Holy of Holies.

of the saints. And when did this happen? In the month of Gorpiaeus. Then Zacharias entered the Holy of Holies; then also the announcement concerning John was made. He departed from there, and his wife began to conceive. After Gorpiaeus, when Elizabeth was in her sixth month, which is the month of Dystrus, Mary then began to conceive. Counting nine months from Xanthicus, we arrive at the present month, in which our Lord Jesus Christ was born. But we have made all things concerning the day clear to you; having said one more thing, I will bring the discourse to a close, yielding to the common teacher of greater matters. Since many of the Greeks, hearing that God was born in the flesh, mock and deride, and disturb and trouble many of the simpler folk, it is necessary to speak both to them and to those who are troubled, so that they may never be disturbed, being persuaded by foolish men, nor be troubled by the laughter of the unbelievers. For small children often laugh when we are speaking seriously and occupied with necessary matters; but the laughter is not evidence of the worthlessness of the things laughed at, but of the folly of those who laugh. This, then, one may say also of the Greeks, that they are disposed almost more foolishly than children, deriding things worthy of awe and full of great wonder, while they exalt and adorn things truly laughable. Nevertheless, our own things, though laughed at by them, remain in their own dignity, suffering no harm to their own glory from that laughter.

And their attempts to cover up their own shame from every side only display it more clearly. For how is it not the height of madness that they, who introduce their own gods as stones and wood and cheap statues, and shut them up as if in some prison, consider nothing shameful either to do or to say, yet accuse us for saying that God, having built for himself a living temple from the Holy Spirit, benefited the world through it? And what kind of accusation is this? For if it is shameful for God to dwell in a human body, it is far more so for him to dwell in stone and wood, and to such an extent as stone and wood are more dishonorable than a human being—unless, indeed, they think our race is more worthless than these senseless materials. For they themselves dare to bring down the substance of God even into cats and dogs, and many of the heretics even into things more dishonorable than these. But we neither say any of these things nor would we ever endure to hear them. We say this: that Christ assumed pure, holy, and blameless flesh, inaccessible to any sin, from a virgin’s womb, and corrected his own creation. And they, and the Manichaeans who share their impiety, who introduce the substance of God into dogs and apes and all kinds of wild beasts (for they say that the soul in all these is from that substance), do not shudder or shrink back, yet they say that we speak unworthily of God because we do not endure to conceive any of these things, but say what was fitting and proper for him: that he came and corrected his own work by means of this manner of birth.

What do you say, tell me, O man? Declaring that the soul of murderers and the soul of sorcerers is of the substance of God, do you dare to accuse us, because we tolerate none of these things, nor endure to hear them spoken, but judge even those who speak them as partakers in impiety; while we say this, that God, having built for himself a holy temple, through that temple introduced the polity of the heavens into our life? And how would you not be worthy of countless deaths, both for the charges you bring against us and for the impieties you never cease committing? For if it is unbecoming for God to inhabit a pure and blameless body, as you say, it is far more unbecoming to inhabit the body of a sorcerer, of a grave-robber, of a bandit, of an ape, of a dog—not that holy and blameless one now seated at the right hand of the Father. For what harm could come to God from this economy, or what stain? Do you not see this sun here, whose body is perceptible and corruptible and perishable, even if Greeks and Manichaeans choke themselves a thousand times hearing these things? And not only this, but also earth, and sea, and every visible creation simply is subject to vanity. And hear Paul making this clear, where he says: For creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but through the one who subjected it in hope. Then, showing what it is to be subjected to vanity, he added, saying: That creation itself will be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. So now it is perishable, and it is corruptible.

For to be subject to corruption is nothing other than to be corruptible. If then the sun, being a corruptible body, sends forth its rays everywhere, and mingles with filth, defilements, and many other such things, yet suffers no harm from its contact with these bodies to its own purity, but gathers back its rays pure, imparting its own excellence to many of the bodies that receive it, while itself taking on none of the stench or defilement; much more the Sun of Righteousness, the Lord of the incorporeal powers, having come into a pure flesh, not only was not defiled, but rendered even this flesh purer and holier. Therefore, considering all these things, and remembering the voice that says, "I will dwell among them, and I will walk among them," and again, "You are a temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you," let us speak to those men, and stop up the shameless mouths of the impious, and rejoice in our own blessings, and glorify the incarnate God for such great condescension, and to the best of our ability render to him both honor and recompense. But no recompense from us could be made to God, except only our salvation and that of our souls, and diligence concerning virtue. 7. Let us not, then, be ungrateful toward our benefactor, but let us all contribute everything in our power: faith, hope, love, temperance, almsgiving, hospitality. And what I exhorted you to before, this I now, and will never cease exhorting you to. What is this?

Intending to approach this fearful and divine table and sacred mystagogy, do this with fear and trembling, with a clear conscience, with fasting and prayer, not making a disturbance, nor kicking, nor pushing your neighbors; for this is the height of folly and contempt, not of the ordinary kind. Therefore, it brings great punishment and retribution upon those who do these things. Consider, O man, what sacrifice you are about to touch, what table you are approaching; reflect also that, being earth and ashes, you partake of the blood and body of Christ. And when a king invites you to a feast, you recline with fear, and partake of the dishes set before you with modesty and quietness; but when God invites you to his own table, and sets before you his own Son, with angelic powers standing by in fear and trembling, and the Cherubim covering their faces, the Seraphim crying out in trembling, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord," do you, tell me, shout and make a disturbance at this spiritual banquet? Do you not know that the soul must be filled with calm at that time? There is need of great peace and quiet, not of disturbance and anger and turmoil; for these things make the approaching soul impure. What pardon then could there be for us, if after so many sins we do not even keep the time of approach free from those irrational passions? And what is more necessary than the things set before us? Or what disturbs us, so that we hasten, leaving this, to that?

run; No, I beg and implore you, let us not stir up the wrath of God against ourselves. What lies before us is a saving remedy for our wounds, an inexhaustible treasure, a passport to the kingdom of heaven. Let us therefore tremble as we approach, give thanks, prostrate ourselves, confessing our faults, weep mourning our own evils, offer earnest prayers to God; and thus, having purified ourselves gently and with due order, as approaching the king of heaven, let us approach; and having received the immaculate and holy sacrifice, let us kiss it, embrace it with our eyes, warm our own minds, so that we may not come together for judgment or condemnation, but for sobriety of soul, for love, for virtue, and reconciliation with God, for lasting peace, and the foundation of countless goods, so that we may both sanctify ourselves and edify our neighbors. I say these things continually, and I will not cease saying them. For what profit is there in simply and vainly running here, learning nothing useful? And what gain is there in always speaking to please? The present time is short, beloved; let us be sober, let us be watchful, let us rally ourselves, let us show genuine zeal in all things, let us be reverent in all things; whether it be necessary to listen to the divine scriptures, or to pray, or to approach, or to do something else, let this be done with fear and trembling, so that we may not draw down a curse through negligence. For cursed, it says, is everyone who does the work of the Lord carelessly. The disturbance and anger become an insult to the sacrifice that lies before us.

It is the utmost contempt to present oneself defiled to God. Hear what the Apostle says about such persons: If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. Therefore, let us not provoke God instead of reconciling with him, but let us approach with every care and every adornment, and with tranquility of soul, with prayer and a contrite heart, so that by this very act we may appease our Master Jesus Christ, and be able to obtain the good things promised to us, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ himself, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.