January 7 is Christmas Day for many Orthodox
Christians. Why? Because in A.D. 325, the church fathers set all holy days by
the Julian calendar. But Pope Gregory XIII and his astronomers decided to adjust the calendar to accommodate
leap years by dropping 10 days. And so in 1582, the 365.24-day Gregorian
calendar that we use today was created. Presbyterian Christians in Egypt also celebrate
on the 7th, to be in unity with the Orthodox majority of Christians
in Egypt. I wish all Christians in the whole world celebrated on the same day.
In the meantime we can celebrate twice the birth of Christ. In reality we
should celebrate His birth every day. I wish you a Merry Christmas.
So
it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds
said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And
they came with haste and found Maryam and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now
when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told
them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it
marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Luke 2:11-18
It seems to me that the first evangelists were not the
disciples but the shepherds. True they did not have the story of salvation
through The Cross but they spread the news about the birth of The Saviour.
What can we learn from Maryam’s actions?
But Maryam
kept all these things and pondered them in her
heart.
Luke 2:19
The learning is that we need to be still and ponder
things asking God for guidance and clarity.
ولد المسيح
هللويا-ماجدة الرومي
I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:
Abba
Father, thank You for Your abundant blessings and
Inseparable love. LORD, I pray that out of Your glorious riches You strengthen me
with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that I can see the star I should follow to fulfill Your call for my life. Help me
to communicate about the salvation Jesus offers. Help me to be still in front
of You and listen to Your voice and ponder like Maryam, The Mother of God, on
Your words and to internalize them totally and fully. In this week of Your
birth Jesus let every night be a holy night where You are reborn in our hearts,
minds, souls and spirits. I declare Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and I
pray in His Holy Name. To Him be the power,
the glory, the majesty, the blessings, and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.
Jesus loves you,
In Him,
Wagdi Henein
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