CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH THE DIVINE LITURGY FIRST
This past Sunday, we had the pleasure of a visiting priest and Navy chaplain, Fr. Andrew Kearns. He has been here before to substitute for me, but this time he was just visiting Williamsburg with his family. So, I had the pleasure of hearing his homily.
Fr. Andrew spoke about the importance of celebrations. He used the example of the Marine Corps Birthday celebrations. He had just recently attended his Marine Air Group Birthday Ball. He commented on how this tradition goes back to the founding of the Marine Corps in 1775, and that every year Marines, wherever they are, should pause and celebrate their heritage.
Then, he shifted to the Church—and how the Church has us do the same, and not for 243 years, but for two millennia, nearly 2,000 years. He noted in our St. Demetrios bulletin the schedule for the Christmas services, and reminded us that we too must come to the Divine Liturgy to celebrate the holy day. And that, if our Christmas amounts to just placing gifts under the tree, coming downstairs to open the gifts, then have a family meal together, we are missing the point—the reason for the celebration. His point, made more eloquently than I can here, was that we should each and all plan to attend the Christmas services not on either Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, but both!
So, let us follow his wise council and give due praise, due worship to God on the day of the awesome, miraculous gift to us of His Son, our Savior. Let us truly celebrate the day of Christmas with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and receiving the gift of His Body and Blood.