At What a Cost?

Zampogna

Christmas carols are not always noted for their theological depth. On the whole, they’re not supposed to be. They are light-hearted reflections on the mystery of Christmas meant to be sung in popular settings.

There are, however, some Christmas carols that are deceptive in their simplicity. Underneath the contemplation of the poor baby in the cold, or the shepherds in the field, or the relative value of gold, frankincense and myrrh, sometimes we can find a profound theological reflectio

Alphonsus de Liguori

One of my very favorite carols fits this bill. It is a simple song, originally written in the Neapolitan dialect by a Roman Catholic bishop in the 18th century. Alphonsus de’ Liguori, the founder of the Roman Catholic order of the Redemptorists wrote this beautiful carol while staying at the Convent of the Consolation in southern Italy. The original lyrics were written in the Neapolitan dialect and the song was traditionally accompanied by the zampogna or bagpipe. The carol was rewritten by Pius IX in standard Italian.

The lyrics are simple and direct and yet very profound (translation from http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/tu-scendi-dalle-stelle-you-come-down-from-the-stars-an-italian-christmas-carol-with-2-videos/)

Tu scendi dalle stelle                        You come down from the stars   
O Re del Cielo                                        Oh King of Heavens,
E vieni in una grotta                          And you come in a cave
Al freddo al gelo                                  In the cold, in the frost.
E vieni in una grotta                          And you come in a cave
Al freddo al gelo.                                 In the cold, in the frost.

O  Bambino mio Divino                    Oh my Divine Baby
Io ti vedo qui a tremar,                    I see you trembling here,
O Dio Beato!                                          Oh Blessed God
Ah, quanto ti costò                            Ah, how much it cost you,
L’avermi amato.                                 Your loving me.
Ah, quanto ti costò                            Ah, how much it cost you,
L’avermi amato.                                 Your loving me.

A te che sei del mondo,                    For you, who are of all the world
Il creatore,                                            The creator,
Mancano panni e fuoco,                   No robes and fire,
O mio Signore.                                      Oh my Lord,
Mancano panni e fuoco,                   No robes and fire,
O mio Signore.                                     Oh my Lord.

Caro eletto pargoletto,                     Dear chosen one, little infant,
Quanto questa povertà                    This dire poverty,
Più mi innamora,                                Makes me love you more.
Giacchè ti fece amor                         Since Love made you
Povero ancora.                                   Poor now.
Giacchè ti fece amor                         Since Love made you
Povero ancora.                                   Poor now.

This is such a beautiful carol! I am always especially moved by the endings of the two refrains. “How much did it cost you to have loved me?” Love always has a price; that price is your whole self. And God, to show his incomprehensible love for us, became a human being and, in taking our full human nature, also took on the pain of death. Such a price! These simple and beautiful words put us directly into the presence of the pure love of God. He has given us the gift of himself and that gift cost him his life. How much do we spend on a gift for God?

Nativity Icon

We see this same truth expressed in the Icon of the Nativity. The truth is not expressed explicitly, but impresses itself on our hearts as we stand before the icon. The image has a strong vertical and a strong horizontal axis. These axes form a cross upon which the whole icon is based. And the bars cross directly over the child in the manger. This is not simply a representation of a poor human family; this is the proclamation that the suffering of the child in the cold cave is an anticipation of what he will suffer on the cross out of love for us.

The second refrain is similar: “How much does this poverty make me love you because love made you poor now.” God’s emptying of himself, as St. Paul tells us in the Epistle to the Philippians (2:6: who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.), is, again, the cost of love; God’s love for us is so expensive, that there is nothing left for comforts or wealth in this world. He has reduced himself to become a little baby shivering in the cold for love of us. If such profound love does not inspire a greater love in us day after day, how cold and mercenary have we become?

The carol also makes it clear that the little child that we are contemplating is, in fact, God himself. No superficial warm and fuzzies here! The sentiment is echoed at the end of the Kontakion for the Preparation for the Nativity: who is willing to be gazed upon as a young child who before the ages is God. The profoundest theology is always expressed in the simplest phrases!

 

The Humble Shepherd-Bishop

St. Spyridon of Trimythous

 

You showed yourself a defender of the first Council and a worker of miracles. You summoned the woman back from the grave and turned the snake into gold. Angels came to minister beside you, O holy father Spirydon, when you offered your ardent prayers. Glory to Him who strengthened you! Glory to Him who crowned you! Glory to Him who heals us through your intercessions. (Apolytikion)

Today we commemorate a great saint who exemplified humility and love, St. Spyridon, the 4th century Bishop of Trimythous in Cyprus. He is an example not only for priests and hierarchs, but also for the faithful who can learn from him how to live among the great and powerful and still maintain a spirit of humility, generosity and compassion toward all.

Before Spyridon became a bishop he was a simple shepherd in his native Cyprus. He was married and he and his wife had one daughter.

His compassion for those in need compelled him even to break the fast. On the first day of Lent a traveller knocked on his door. St. Spyridon asked his daughter to wash the man’s feet so he could eat dinner with them. His daughter pointed out that there was no bread in the house, since St. Spyridon only ate on certain days during the fast. He responded by telling her to cook a salted ham. When the man refused to eat, St. Spyridon told him , “It is not proper to refuse this, for the Word of God proclaims, “Unto the pure all things are pure” (Titus 1:15).

After his wife died, Spyridon’s holiness became well known and, when the Bishop of the small town of Trimythous died, the people with one voice called on Spyridon to be his successor. As a bishop, he never lost his humble shepherd ways, but shepherded the flock of Christ like the true and good Shepherd.

The life of St. Spyridon is filled with the stories of his miracles. A couple of these stories will illustrate how God used him as his instrument in this world, and how his main concern was to help and comfort the poor and afflicted.

At a time of a terrible drought, the Saint interceded and the rains fell. However, there were some unscrupulous men on the island who had horded grain and intended to sell the grain at an exorbitant price in order to make a profit on the misfortune of their fellow citizens. At the prayers of the Saint their barns fell to the ground and the grain equitably distributed among the people. According to the Church Historian Sozomen, St. Spyridon would divide his grain among the destitute and those who were suffering from debt; he did not keep anything for himself personally, but opened his storeroom to all to take what they needed and to pay it back whenever possible.

At another time, just a look from him reduced a woman of loose reputation to repent and give up her evil ways. He also converted some thieves who had broken into his sheepfold to steal some ewes. They found themselves bound by an invisible force throughout the night. Spyridon discovered them the next day and spoke to them at length about how they needed to give up their life of stealing and live by honorable labor. After he was through, he let them go, giving each a lamb, saying, “Take this for your trouble, so you did not spend a sleepless night in vain.”

O venerable father, renowned hierarch, having followed the teaching of the apostles, you became the dwelling-place of the Spirit through your virtues. by your teachings, you keep the wicked wolves far from the Church, and you cause the orthodox Faith to shine with all brilliance. you were a pillar, a defender of the Faith. Extending your miracles to the whole world, you changed a serpent into gold and raised up a dead person to answer your questions. Most worthy of admiration among the Fathers, and with the boldness of the holy Teachers, beg Christ to save our souls! (Doxastikon of the Ainoi)

St. Spyridon was one of the bishops present at the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea. There he simply and eloquently defended the Orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, so that a famous Arian philosopher could not refute him, but converted and was baptized. St. Spyridon also graphically showed the nature of the Trinity. He took a brick and squeezed it; out of the brick came fire, water, and dust was left. Just as the brick was one thing, it was made up of three. “There was only one brick,” St Spyridon said, “but it was composed of three elements. In the Holy Trinity there are three Persons, but only one God.”

On another occasion, St. Spyridon was celebrating the Divine Liturgy in a remote church. His assitants heard the voices of an angelic choir make the responses of the Liturgy. The beauty drew the neighboring people to the Church, but when they arrived, they saw only the Saint and the servers.

After a long and virtuous life, St. Spyridon reposed in the Lord in 348. His holy body continued to be the source of divine power and miracles. In the 7th century his body was taken to Constantinople in order to avoid its desecration by the invading Arabs. When the City was falling to the Turks in 1456, his incorrupt body was secretly taken to the island of Kerkyra (Corfu), where he continued to protect the faithful from famine, plague and invasions.

The Reliquary of St. Spyridon on Kerkrya

The legend of St. Spyridon maintains that he is a “walking saint” who walks during the night to continue bringing compassion and healing to his people. The belief proliferated because his shoes seem to wear out every year, and he requires a new pair. One pair of St. Spyridon’s shoes are located in the Cathedral of St. Spyridon in Worcester, MA.

Slippers of St. Spyridon in Worcester MA

St. Spyridon is an incredible witness of the Christian life, a life of humble service, of love especially to the poor, and of compassion toward all who are in need of compassion. Through his intercession may we learn these traits from him!

O blessed father, venerable Spyridon, for love of God you challenge sin even now just as wehn you were alive. You practiced poverty, yet changed a serpent into gold; you stopped the flow of a river in your flowing compassion for the people; as an instrument of the Providence of God, you appeared to the emperor and healed him. As a disciple of Christ, you raised the dead. Joining the assembly of the Fathers, you made the brilliant purity of the faith shine forth. Having such power with Christ who gave you these gifts, pray to Him to save our souls. (Doxastikon of the Kekragaria)

 

Greatness through Humility and Riches through Poverty

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia

We have gathered together to celebrate and to praise with song the model of bishops and glory of the fathers, a fountain of miracles and a great helper to believers. Let us sing to Nicholas: “Rejoice, O protector of Myra, who were revered as its shepherd and strongest pillar! Rejoice, O radiant star, whose light of miracles shines throughout the world! Rejoice, O divine joy to those in sorrow! Rejoice, O defender of the oppressed; for even now, O holy Nicholas, you still pray to God for us who celebrate your feast with faith, and who honor you with zeal and joy.” (Vespers of St. Nicholas)

The hymns for the feast of St. Nicholas are amazing in the depths of their theology, the exuberance of their praises, and the beauty of their poetry.  The hymns love to play on the name Nicholas and its connection to the Greek word nike which means “victory.” They also love to play on the connection between his city Myra and the Greek word myrrhon, the fragrant holy oil which is used in the Holy Mystery of Chrismation. The hymns present Nicholas as the victor with Christ over the powers of the enemy, the presence of the sweet smell of the Holy Spirit among his faithful both in Myra and throughout the world.

O holy father Nicholas, Christ has shown you to be a model of faith. Your humility inspired all your flock. From Myra, your piety shines throughout the world. you are known as the protector of widows and orphans. Now we ask your unceasing prayer for the salvation of our souls. (Lete of Vespers)

St. Nicholas especially showed the depths of his faith at the First Ecumenical Council. Confronted with the blasphemies of Arius, he could not contain his righteous indignation, and struck Arius. Because it was a violation of Canon Law for one cleric to strike another, Nicholas was stripped of his office. That night, Christ and the Theotokos appeared in dreams to the bishops of the Council and informed them that they were, in fact, pleased with Nicholas’ action because he acted out of love, and that they needed to restore him to his office. He was willing to suffer humilitation and degradation rather than see the truths of the faith trampled under foot. How many of us stand up for our faith when it is attaked? What an example St. Nicholas can be in this!

O father and hierarch Nicholas, the holiness of your life has set you before your flock as a rule of faith, an example of meekness and a teacher of temperance. Wherefore, you acquired greatness through humility and spiritual wealth through poverty. Pray to Christ God that He may save our souls. (Apolytikion)

St. Nicholas, of course, is best known for his love of the poor. The story of how he helped rescue a father from consigning his three daughters to prostitution because he could not provide them with a dowry is well known. Even today he is considered the patron of children everywhere. But, unlike his commercial adaptation (the so-called Santa Claus), he does not encourage children (and adults) to greed and jealousy. Rather, he won true riches through poverty. He shows us how to become rich in the love of God.

As we prepare to celebrate the great Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, we pray that St. Nicholas will show us the true path, both to appreciate the great truth of the feast, that God truly became a human being, and to see that God’s love is manifested in poverty and not in wealth, in generosity and sacrificial giving and not in greed.