27- THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST
		
		
		The Birth of Christ is a celebration of joy. The fact that
		God became man and entered into our human life is seen in 
		the Icon of the Nativity. Wrapped in swaddling clothes and
		lying in a manger is the Christ Child. All the details of 
		the Icon relate to His presence. This presence shines 
		radically with the black opening of the cave in which He 
		was born. This contrast is often seen in the Fathers' 
		writings in terms of the spiritual light of Christ's birth
		radiating through the shadow of death encompassing man. 
		The black mouth of the cave, then symbolically, is 
		precisely this fallen world in which the "Sun of 
		Righteousness" has dawned, this wilderness which the 
		"Light of Wisdom" has illumined. 
		
		
		The Virgin Mother is shown half-sitting, supported by a 
		hammock-type bed used by the early Jews in their travels. 
		Striking is the absence of the usual sufferings of 
		childbirth which is iconographically seen to be an 
		indication of tile virgin-birth of Christ. 
		
		
		As in the Gospel, all mankind is called to this event. 
		The Wise Men represent the learned and astute, and the 
		shepherds represent the humble of this world. A multitude 
		of Angels give glory to God and announce this good news 
		to mankind. 
		
		
		In the Icon, several episodes are grouped together and 
		shown simultaneously. In the bottom left corner, Joseph 
		sits in painful thought, while the Devil, under the guise 
		of an old and bent shepherd, suggests new doubts and 
		suspicions to him. In the opposite corner, two women are 
		seen bathing the new-born Infant, to show the real 
		humanity of Jesus. 
		
		
		All of creation takes part in the birth of the Savior. In 
		the cave, the Infant lies guarded by an ox and a donkey. 
		While the Gospels do not speak of them, all icons of the 
		Nativity portray them because of the manifest fulfillment 
		of the prophecy of Isaiah, "An ox know its owner, and an 
		ass its master's manger." (Is. 1: 3) The mountainside is 
		a backdrop to the event. While it bears little 
		correspondence to the terrain of Bethlehem in Judaea, it 
		parallels a line from the prayer of the Prophet Habakkuk:
		"God comes from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. 
		Covered are the heavens with His glory, and with His 
		praise the earth is filled." (Hab. 3: 3) 
		
		
		One final detail is the tree painted across from the 
		image of Joseph, included not only in its own right as 
		an offering to Christ, but also as a symbol of the Tree 
		of Jesse. In the words of the Prophet Isaiah, "But a 
		shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his 
		roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall 
		rest upon Him." (Is. 11: 1-2)
		
		
		 The Icon of the Nativity calls us to praise and glorify 
		 the Birth of Christ. With the hymns of Vespers we too 
		 say: "What shall we bring to You, O Christ, Who, for our 
		 sake, was born on earth as man? Every creature brings 
		 thanks to You: Angels their songs; the heavens a star; 
		 Wise Men gifts; Shepherds amazement; the earth a cave;
		 the wilderness a manger; but we -the Virgin Mother." 
		 
		
		TROPARION -Your birth, O Christ our God, has shed upon 
		the world the light of knowledge; for through it, those 
		who worshipped the stars have learned from a star to 
		worship You, the Sun of Justice, and to recognize You as 
		the Orient from on high. Glory be to You, O Lord!
		

		I am in control of my mind and mouth
		
		
		Your mind is an instrument. A precious gift to be valued and 
		cared for. You are not always in control of what goes into 
		your mind, but only you can determine what stays there. If 
		you allow negativity to pervade in your mind, you will produce
		that negativity with your mouth. Your mouth is the mechanism 
		that reveals how well you care for your mind. The conditions 
		in your life stem from the most dominant thoughts of which you
		speak. Nothing has a hold on your mind that you cannot break 
		free of. Since your mind will respond to what is said to you, 
		speak to the conditions in your life. When they are wanted give
		thanks. When you are unwanted, demand they change. 
		
		
		There are two things over which you have complete dominion, 
		authority and control - your mind and your mouth.