“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!

Imagine a sculptor making a statue from pure bronze.  It is beautiful and perfect, and when the unveiling happens, everyone stands there marveling at its splendor and glory! Then sun’s rays bounce off of it, making it radiant to all who come near it!

One day, barbarians come and knock the statue off of its pedal stool.  It is left abandoned, covered with dirt and filth, and buried for centuries.  Yet the sculptor discovers it and does not despair.  He takes it, throws it back into the fire, melted it, and from its own material, makes a statue that is 1000 times more beautiful than the first one!”

We are so used to blindly following our passions and bodily desires, almost like animals…with animal instincts. Our stomach gurgles and we immediately to go the pantry to get something to eat (see food, eat food). When we get angry at someone, our first instinct is to raise our voice (my dog does this when he sees someone out the window). When men and women are afflicted with lust, they might turn to self-abuse (again, animalistic instincts). What can we possibly do to begin to combat this in our lives?