Christ is Carried on the Arms
"Then said He, Lo, I come to do Your will, O God. He takes away the first, that He may establish the second," Hebrews 10:9.
The nature of man needs the care and guidance of God since God created man. Man cannot live separated from God and His feeding grace. Otherwise, he will die spiritually as it happened for Adam and Eve. Man cannot exist if God does not carry him on the eternal arms. "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power. When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," Hebrews 1:3.
Man was separated from God when he fell and left His kind arms. But, God did not leave him but came down to where he fell. He accepted to be carried on human arms to restore us to the eternity to the bosom of the heavenly Father.
Every human soul can carry Christ on its arms and be His mother as St. Mary was. He said: "For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother," Matthew 12:50 and Mark 3:35.
This does not mean exaltation for man because man fell through elevation. It means strong relationship and accepting Christ the humble that saved us.
We attend the Divine Liturgy of the Glorious Nativity Feast and partake of the same body and blood that were carried by the Virgin at that time as the priest confesses in the Divine Liturgy saying: "I believe… that this is the life giving Flesh that Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, took from our Lady, the Lady of us all, the holy Theotokos, Saint Mary," The Confession.
How do we partake Him? Which status and which feeling and what preparation does we do? Which virginity and spiritual virginity do we have? Do we abstain from the world and its desires?
Do we accept Him as St. Mary did? Do we possess spiritual devotion and spiritual virginity in submission? St. Mary said: "I am the maidservant of the Lord," Luke 1:38. Do we accept Him as Joseph the carpenter did as the angel told him? "Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife," Matthew 1:24. Or as the shepherds who were vigilant watching their sheep: "And they were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night," Luke 2:8. Or we come to Him as the wise men that came from far country from the east and were greatly rejoiced: "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy," Matthew 2:10. Are we like the inhabitants of Jerusalem that were troubled with the evil king Herod? Are we like the high priests that knew the prophecies and were knowledgeable and knew the place of His birth? Although Herod sent the wise men according to their answer and sent soldiers to kill the children of Bethlehem hoping to kill the Child, nevertheless the high priests did not try to go to see Him. Herod the king symbolizes the devil that wanted to kill the Son of God in His childhood. Christ came to do the will of God. "Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done," Luke 22: 42. "Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do Your will, O God," Hebrews 10:7. God likes us to do His will as well as to build strong relationship with Him and to be His partners.
"I delight to do Your will, O My God. Yea, Your law is within my heart," Psalm 40:8.
Copyright © 2006 Saint Antony Coptic Orthodox Monastery, California, U.S.A. The above article may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Saint Antony Coptic Orthodox Monastery, California, U.S.A.
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