In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. God is one. Amen.

Welcome to Christmas Day. Welcome to St Aidan’s. Welcome to the presence of Jesus Christ and His Church in all of our lives. In the midst of all the presents—p-r-e-s-e-n-t-s—all the gifts that we share today, it is the presence—p-r-e-s-e-n-c-e—of Christ Himself that is the greatest gift that we can share.

The Gospel today from the second chapter of the Gospel of St Matthew is about the birth of Christ. That great 4th century preacher and theologian, St John Chrysostom, has written about today: “A feast day [has arrived]; and it is the most holy and awesome of all feasts. It would be no mistake to call it the chief and mother of all holy days. What feast is that?” It is the day of Christ’s birth in the flesh,” explained St John. “It is from this day that the feasts of The Theophany [that is, the Baptism of Christ], the sacred Pascha, the Ascension and Pentecost had their source and foundation. Had Christ not been born in the flesh, He would not have been baptised, which is the Theophany…. Nor would He have been crucified, which is the Pascha. Nor would He have sent down the [Holy] Spirit, which is Pentecost. Therefore, just as different rivers arise from a single source, these other feasts have their beginning in the birth of Christ” [On the Incomprehensible Nature of God 6.23-24].

So, let’s seek to understand what the birth of Christ means for our lives now and in the years to come. The 7th century monk and scholar, St Bede, has written that “Jesus Christ is our peace…. For He has made one house [of] God [of] angels and [of] humanity … that he might lead [humanity] back to the gifts of heavenly peace” [Homilies on the Gospels 1.6]. St Bede’s insight is quite remarkable—God and angels and humanity—that’s each of us as human beings—are united in heavenly peace. How can we experience that heavenly peace in our lives?

St Bede cites the Gospel of St John, chapter 1, verse 12, that when we receive Christ we receive “the power to become children of God” [Homilies on the Gospels 1.6]. St John Chrysostom stresses that “much zeal [that is, much commitment and enthusiasm] is needed to keep the image of [Christ] that was impressed on us at baptism and to keep it all the way through [our lives] without spot or soiling…. It is on the one hand, God’s part to give [us] grace [and love], on the other [hand] a [baptised] person’s [part is] to supply faith. [Life after baptism] needs much perseverance…. It is not sufficient for us,” preached St John Chrysostom, “merely to have been baptised and to have believed; we must display a life worthy of [Christ] if we want to continually enjoy this brightness. This then is God’s work in us,” concluded St John Chrysostom [Homilies on the Gospel of John 10.2- 3].

God reaches out to love us; and we reach out with faith in Him. St Augustine says simply that God wants to adopt each of us, just as a parent adopts a child. “For just as Christ through being humbled came [to earth] to share your mortality, so through lifting you up He brings you to share His immortality,” preached St Augustine [Sermon 166.4]. It is this sharing of our mortality with the immortality of Christ that gives us the power to experience heavenly peace.

As the Gospel of St John, chapter 1, verse 13 points out, when we are baptised, we are “born of God.” St Augustine urges us: “Do not be amazed that you are made a son or daughter by [the] grace [the love] of God; do not be amazed that you are born of God according to His Word. The Word Himself first chose to be born of man so that you might be born of God unto salvation. You can say to yourself,” preached St Augustine, that “‘God had a reason for wanting to be born of man, because he considered [each of us] as someone important, someone that He might make immortal, someone like me who was born of a mortal.’ … Why, then, do you marvel that people are born of God? Consider God Himself born of men” [Tractates on the Gospel of John 2.15]

I conclude with the words of John the Monk, very probably the 7th century monk and theologian, St John Damascus: “Heaven and earth are united today, for Christ is born! Today God has come upon earth, and humankind gone up to heaven…. Therefore, let us glorify Him and cry aloud: glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace [is given] by Your coming, Saviour: glory to You.” Christ is born! Glorify Him!