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From the Archbishop
Dear Brethren: Hurrying through the airport amidst the crush of pre-Christmas crowds, I stopped for a moment at the newsstand. What caught my eye were the Christian icons plastered on the front of the December 10th issue of U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek magazine. The blazing title on U.S. News & World Report was "IN SEARCH OF THE REAL JESUS". "New research questions whether He was more of a teacher than savior." Unfortunately there was nothing new in the article, just a rehashing of the new popularity of the old Gnostic Gospels. As we observe this Christmas, the Birth of our Savior, I am constantly amazed by how parallel our age is with the early church. We live again in a time of spiritual alienation, ignorance and denial. The secular media seems dedicated to the removal of the divine nature of Jesus by promoting without understanding the nature of the Gnostic Gospels or their denial of historical reality. It is interesting to note modern man's interest in the ministry of Jesus rather than the early church's pre-occupation with the mystery of the Incarnation. The first Christians wanted to know who Christ was more than the record of his teachings. In gratitude we celebrate Christmas knowing who He is…Emmanuel, God come among us as one of us, Love Incarnate! Boris Pasternak in his famous novel Doctor Zhivago wrote in his poem, "Star of the Nativity"
The Magi stood in shadow (the byre seemed in twilight); They spoke in whispers, groping for words. Suddenly one, in deeper shadow, touched another To move him aside from the manger, a little to the left. The other turned: like a guest about to enter, The Star of the Nativity was gazing upon the Maid. With every good wish and blessing this Christmas and in the coming
Year,
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Christmas
2006 