THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

"O the depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! The instrument of sin that had brought death upon all flesh is become the first fruit of salvation for the whole world through the Theotokos. For the All-Perfect God is born of her as a babe; by His birth he setteth the seal on her virginity, while loosing cords of sin with his swaddling bands. And by becoming a child, He healeth Eve's travailing in sorrows. Wherefore let all creation dance and leap for joy, for Christ is come to call it back again and to save our souls."

 + Aposticha Doxastikon by St. John of Damascus ​

From the Royal Hours

"Today is born of the Virgin Him Who holdest all creation in the hollow of His hand. He Whose essence is untouchable is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a babe."

-- From the Royal 9th Hour of the Nativity

The Beauty of Creation

“Do you know I don't know how one can walk by a tree and not be happy at the sight of it? How can one talk to a man and not be happy in loving him! Oh, it's only that I'm not able to express it...And what beautiful things there are at every step, that even the most hopeless man must feel to be beautiful! Look at a child! Look at God's sunrise! Look at the grass, how it grows! Look at the eyes that gaze at you and love you!...”

-The Idiot, Fyodor Dostoevsky