This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world;
So let no one threaten;

This is the night of the Most Gentle One –
Let no one be cruel;

This is the night of the Humble One –
Let no one be proud.

Now is the day of joy –
Let us not revenge;

Now is the day of Good Will –
Let us not be mean.

In this Day of Peace –
Let us not be conquered by anger.

Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake;
So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask;
So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.

This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers;
Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.

Today the Divine Being took upon Himself the seal of our humanity,
In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of Divinity.

– St. Isaac the Syrian (7th century), “Sermon on the Nativity“

And from Saint Symeon the New Theologian:

…the Logos descended (Jn 10.36)

and dwelt entirely in the womb of the virgin,

and He was wholly in the Father and wholly in the womb,

and wholly in the universe, being uncontainable.

Not reduced, not diminished at all, He went entirely in

and remained unchanged. He took the form of a slave

and having been begotten He became human in every way (Phil 2.7).

The whole of Him went through the womb and He came into

the world;

again He was taken up from whence He was not separated (Mk 16.19).

Glory to You, Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Boundless Divinity, indivisible by nature,

prostrate, we all worship You in the Holy Spirit,

we who have your Spirit, as we have received from You.

Hymn 21, St. Symeon the New Theologian (excerpted from “Divine Eros: Hymns of St. Symeon the New Theologian”)