Yet perhaps the one reason that comes out the most in conversations with many of you is how this tree of Orthodoxy does not change.  It is so deeply rooted, that there are no weekly changes in the services to try and make them more relevant or popular.  There are no changes in morality, or how we should live, to try and fit the ebbs and flows of a fallen world.  There are no changes to this way of life.  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”, and it is on this day, this glorious day of Orthodoxy Sunday, that we celebrate the triumph of this deeply rooted faith over the storms of heresy that have tried to alter and change it throughout history. 

Instead of baths in the tub, they are being bathed in Christ’s light.  Instead of needing to feed, they are constantly being nourished by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Instead of weeping and tears in the middle of the night, their cries are directed towards the presence of God, interceding and praying for the only people who they ever knew in this world…their mother and father.

“In Truth, all the elements bore witness that their Creator has come…The Heavens knew that He was God, because they immediately sent forth a Star. The Sea knew Him, because it allowed Him to walk upon it. The Earth knew Him, because it trembled when He died. The stones and walls of houses knew Him, because they were broken at the time of His death. The lower world recognized Him, because it gave up the dead it was holding…And yet, the hearts of His people remained full of unbelief, and did not know that He was God…even though all of the dumb elements perceived Him as Lord.” -St. Gregory Dialogos

What impact are we having within our own homes when it comes to interacting with our spouses and children? Do we as parents show a life of love, devotion, and self-sacrifice to our children…so that they may in turn pass that on to the world?  Is the spark of holiness that we take with us from the Divine Liturgy and worship with God made manifest within our homes? Do we prioritize sports and other entertainment over the Divine Liturgy? Are we showing our children that our priorities in life surround God, or something of the world?

This week isn’t just another week.  Christmas Day isn’t just another day.  The Nativity of Christ isn’t just a celebration of Birthday…it is rather the culmination of plan that had been in the works for millennia by a God Who Loves us!