"Are you for or against Christ?"
Literature, music, art, architecture, science, economics and even politics - everything was different. It's hard to even think of any field of human genius, which in any way would not have been affected by the Nativity of the Child of Bethlehem.
You cannot treat Him as if He hadn’t been. Even those who claimed that Christ had not come into this world tried by all available means to destroy the memory of Him. Christians were killed, their churches – destroyed, the faith – blasphemed ... But if He did not come, then why fight with Him and against Him?
We know that immediately after the Nativity there were the ones who wanted His death – Herod and "all Jerusalem with him." There were many who wanted Christ to die later – on the Cross. Today there are those who want him to just disappear. And all these people are not necessarily evil and bad. Moreover, some of them even consider themselves Christians ... So what's the matter?
Let us remember that Christ was followed by thousands of people, but only 12 became apostles. And now millions call themselves His disciples, but only a few live as Christians. The fact is that the initial existence of our civilization, as well as the life of each of us, it is an attempt to answer the question – are you for or against Christ? You cannot say that you are "for" him, but live as if "against." In general, I think that every word, every step of ours should start from this question – "for" or "against". "If I act like that, if I say so-and-so, I'll be with him or left alone?" - That's what we should ask ourselves.
And this concerns not only the individual, but the entire nation as a whole. If people forget God, if they live only with economic problems and turn religion into an adjunct of politics – this nation is without Christ. It has no future; it will disappear from the historical arena.
The Nativity of the Son of God changed the world. But most importantly, it changes people, changes their souls. That is what can be called the greatest miracle. It is important that He came not only to Bethlehem and revealed Himself not only to the shepherds, but that He will come to every home and reveal Himself in every heart. Only then we can say that we are "for Christ!" And we’ll say so by our entire life, not by word.
Christ is born! Give glory!
Read also
“In persecution, we take the test of our faith to Christ”
On the courage of the persecuted clergy of the Cherkasy Eparchy. The story of the fate of the seized temple in the town of Drabiv.
On anathema in general and against Cherkasy mayor in particular
Metropolitan Theodosiy of Cherkasy proclaimed the excommunication of the mayor of Cherkasy from the Church. Apparently, this is not the last such case. What is anathema?
Should the Church educate the people: A response to Metropolitan Theodosiy
Met. Theodosiy spoke about the reasons for the persecution of our Church, noting that, in many ways, we ourselves are to blame. What is the solution? Is it possible to change the current situation of the UOC?
Why do people bear such different life crosses?
September 27 is the day of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.