Cyril of Alexandria: Christ in the manger

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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

“Look not therefore upon Him who was laid in the manger as a babe merely, but in our poverty see Him who as God is rich, and in the measure of our humanity Him who excels the inhabitants of heaven, and who therefore is glorified even by the holy angels. And how noble was the hymn, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and among men good will!” For the angels and archangels, thrones and lordships, and high above them the Seraphim, preserving their settled order, are at peace with God: for never in any way do they transgress His good pleasure, but are firmly established in righteousness and holiness.

But we, wretched beings, by having set up our own lusts in opposition to the will of our Lord, had put ourselves into the position of enemies unto Him. But by Christ this has been done away: for He is our peace; for He has united us by Himself unto God the Father, having taken away from the middle the cause of the enmity, even sin, and so justifies us by faith, and makes us holy and without blame, and calls near unto Him those who were afar off: and besides this, He has created the two people into one new man, so making peace, and reconciling both in one body to the Father.

For it pleased God the Father to form into one new whole all things in Him, and to bind together things below and things above, and to make those in heaven and those on earth into one flock. Christ therefore has been made for us both peace and goodwill; by whom and with whom to God the Father be glory and honor and might with the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever, Amen.”

Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) in Commentary on St. Luke, Sermon II (From the Syriac. MS.12,154).

It’s Christmas. I conclude this series, Advent in Alexandria, with today’s post. I write in celebration with Cyril that my poverty has been exchanged for peace and goodwill because of Jesus.

With this post we behold the greatest act of generosity in human history. The One who was rich came to earth and became poor so that we might become rich. This act was all made possible by grace.

In so doing God did not leave Jesus lowly but lifted Him up and gave Him a name above every names, that at the name of Jesus, every knee would bow and tongue confess, “Jesus is Lord!”

How great is our God. To imitate His generosity, we too must become poor so that others might become rich. When we do this in obedience to His teachings, we don’t end up empty, but rather, enriched for greater generosity.

We, like Jesus, become agents of peace and goodwill to our neighbors, to our community, and to all the peoples of the earth. Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, goodwill to all people! Happy Christmas everyone.