Dear right-believing Orthodox Christians, it is not actually death we fear, but judgment. The Lord tells us that all …shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (Jn 5:29). Our conscience accuses us and therefore we fear the righteous judgement of God.
The Gospel account of the Nativity of Christ is filled with joy and light. In the sky, we see the angelic star, the host of angels appear in glory, hymning the Newborn Saviour, bringing peace on earth, good will toward men.
"One of the cornerstone messages of the Gospel is the preaching of joy. Having met the myrrh-bearing women after the resurrection, the Lord says to them: Rejoice! And now, on the path toward His suffering on the Cross, He gives His disciples a foretaste of the future of the time of the resurrection."
Fr. Alexander Webster illustrates St Paul's exhortation to "outdo one another in showing honor" with examples from the Gospel, film, and his own childhood.
Fr. Alexander Webster explains the role of the Cross in the life of every Christian and how we must "take up" our Cross to attain the heavenly kingdom.
