Christmas Tree and Burning Bush


 My mom "Wedad" few years back when she came to the US in a visit, she looked to our Christmas Tree and said to me, the tree is there to remind us with the burning bush. I looked to her and said that Mom that is very deep Theological meaning. It is my first time to link the Tree to the Burning Bush. Yes the theologian is the person who knows how to pray. On the same token I have heard some beautiful meditation about the Nativity Feast: the gifts to represent the gifts of the Magi, and the gift of God the Father to the world, His Only Begotten Son. " The Only  Begotten of The Father, was Incarnate from the Virgin" I like our children to learn this refrain, to know the reality of the eternal Birth of The Son from The Father, lest they will only comprehend Christmas as the "Baby Jesus" was born. I symbolizes to our children in a simple way, if I switched off the light in my room, are there any electricity running in the wires? the answer yes but I can not see it, once I turn on the switch, then I can see the Incarnate Electricity took the form of light.

Singing the hymns the Angels said " Glory to God in the Highest, Peace On Earth and goodwill toward men" I hope this will be our greeting instead of saying Merry Christmas, or Happy Feast of Nativity.

My Friend Tamer Yassa, sent me a greeting this morning, not a picture, not a clip, not part of recorded video but two verses from Tuesday Psali for the Feast of Nativity, you can hear him here https://soundcloud.com/rishoyamie/whatsapp-audio-2018-01-06-at-13059-am

And the translation



"Jesus, our Savior is born to us today, in Bethlehem of Judah
 There was great joy when the Sun of Righteousness shone and gave us light."

Other Theotokia (Glorification or Veneration for the Mother of God) Refrains in our Coptic Orthodox Pslamody book 

On Mondays, "He shone in the flesh, taken from the Virgin, without the seed of of man, in order to save us."
On Tuesdays, "For of His own will, and the pleasure of His Father, and the Holy Spirit, He came and saved us."
On Wednesdays, "The Father looked from heaven, and found no one like you, He sent His Only-Begotten, Who came and took flesh from you."
On Thursdays, "He did not cease to be divine, He came and became the Son of Man, for He is the true God, Who came and saved us."
On Fridays, "He took what is ours, and gave us what is His, we praise Him and glorify Him, and exalt Him."
On Saturdays, "Hail to you O full of grace. Hail to you, who has found grace. Hail to you, who has given birth to Christ. The Lord is with you." 

When our Feasts take this beautiful praises and prayer form, it turns Earth to Heaven, By His Birth He made our world to be a Heaven and each one of us to be a Temple Carrying Him always to witness"Emmanuel God With us" Matthew 1:23 to fulfill what came in Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."


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