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[1 John 2:22-28 and John 1:19-28]

     Who is the liar?  Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.  Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.  [1 John]

     The feast of Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzen are a reminder that in the 4th Century AD, the Church was very much in conflict over a heresy known as "Arianism."  Arius was a bishop who taught that Jesus was not divine, but someone just below that status.  God could not become human!  The words of the Nicene Creed "consubstantial with the Father" which we recite on Sundays and other major feast days are meant to contradict that heresy.  Basil and Gregory and Athanasius were all big supporters of the orthodox truth that we often just mumble on Sunday, not realizing that people once came to blows about it!!!

     The scriptures chosen for the celebration of the Eucharist during the Christmas/Epiphany season are all directed toward reminding us of the identity of Jesus as both entirely divine and entirely human.  Although there is a good deal of Greek theological vocabulary that accompanies the official declaration at the First Council of Nicea in 325 AD, ultimately we accept this in faith as one of the great mysteries of God's plan of salvation.  The birth of Jesus is the divine way of putting skin on promises made to humanity.  We participate in the fulfillment of those promises when we, like Mary, John the Baptist, the shepherds and the Magi proclaim the truth about Jesus.  The official liturgical season of Christmas/Epiphany will continue with the feast of the Epiphany tomorrow (Jan. 3) and end with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday January 10, but our task of proclamation is year round!  AMEN