Our Journey to Bethlehem

Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

We are about to take a journey. Whether one is a devout Christian or doesn’t know Christ at all, we are all about to take a journey that will see Christmas decorations go up, lines at the malls get long, and stress levels go up. Such is the modern celebration of Christmas.

But there is another journey, a journey of faith that some choose to take and others choose to ignore. The journey of faith is a daily choice to follow Christ. Each year on November 15, as we begin the Orthodox Christian season of Advent that journey takes on a new focus. For forty days, we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of Christ. We fast. We pray. We worship. When the Feast of the Nativity comes, there is something to celebrate. Most important, however, is that when the Feast of the Nativity has passed, there is something more than gifts to return, decorations to take down, and credit cards to pay off. There is joy—and joy is what overcomes sadness. There is hope—and hope is what overcomes sorrow. Read the full article on GOARCH.org