Dear Brothers and Sisters! Merry Christmas and a Happy New year 2022!
Christmas is a celebration of light. We celebrate the True Light Who came into this world – the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! Christmas has a lot to do with light since great light shone during the glorious proclamation of the angels at the fields of Bethlehem. Bright light also appeared in heaven which led the Wiseman to baby Jesus.
In this season, we are fascinated by the variety of decorated houses, and the unique lighting arrangements. However, while examining the external beauty of the holidays, the main thing is not to miss the true meaning. True Light came into the world at the time of darkness. “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.” (John 1:9-10.) The humanity’s problem is still the same: people love the darkness more than the light. For the most part, they are resisting God’s light by how they are living their lives. “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19.)
It is easy to get busy with decorating the Christmas lights, preparing the festive dinner, and follow many other traditions of Christmas and New Year, while not making any room for Christ in our lives. Instead, we ought to submit to His holy will, and be enlightened by God’s Light which gives us the realization of our sinfulness, and the need of a Savior and repentance. May God shine in our hearts by His light, and may He fill us by His presence, joy, peace, and love! May this New Year be a year of our walk in the True Light which enlightens every man!
Glory in the Highest, peace on earth, and good will to men!
Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2022!
President of the PCSBA of ECB, Ivan Mileyev
