The Birth of Christ; Some indications from Pekka Ervast

Gospels are not just historical records of life of Jesus. They are also presentation of the birth and growth of secret Christ in man's heart, mystical symbol of development of the divine spirit of truth in human soul. From this perspective three wise men from the East are neither individual men but personified qualities in human soul. Faith, hope, and love are the royal qualities that will fulfill the three aspects of human psyche - reason, will, and feeling. Faith shows us the star of Betlehem, hope makes us to follow its guidance, and love gives us the power to do that. We walk through the desert of our selfishness to the Promised Land of spiritual rebirth.
When a seeker for truth was confused and asked how he could do anything good, he who was so ignorant and incompetent, the answer came from above: "Don't be afraid to trust yourself and your reason, the Holy Spirit of truth will give light and power for your reason and the Most High will protect you." Man's soul must become a mother who can give birth to a son.
Christmas reminds us that light will overcome the darkness, truth will overcome lie, brotherly love will overcome selfishness and hate.
Mystical Christ is the sun shining brightly in the darkness of soul, the Holy Spirit of truth and love behind the passions of selfish personality.
Pekka Ervast states that the birth of the sun or the Christ in a soul of mortal man is the greatest festival, because then the mortal man attains the right for citizenship in the Kingdom of the immortal, "the Kingdom of God", "A Secret Brotherhood", and he becomes "initiated" among the angels.
What is the spirit of Christmas, Ervast asks and he answers: Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis! Glory be to the God in heavens and on earth peace among men who have good will! "Earth" is the whole mortal and earthly personality of man, all his earthly environment and conditions. Good will is the requiement for the perfect and whole Christmas spirit. And peace...It is a state where no selfish desires or wishes move, and nothing in outer world can disturb this inner peace either.

Now that old year is soon passing and new year beginning, let us give an account of the past. Past lives in a memory, but as a physical reality it is dead. Let us also die from the past mistakes, so that we may be born again in virtues of Christ. How could a new life be born in us, unless we die from old one?
God always wills; his loving arms are always open, his overflowing grace never ends. Christ is a bridegroom waiting for his bride, human soul. A question is, whether we want or not. Master is always ready but are we? We are like virgins waiting for the bridegroom, but are we the foolish ones or the wise ones? Do we have oil in our lamps? Is the fire of will burning in our souls? God won't force us. The birth of Christ in us is a sign of God's free grace and at the same time proof and seal of our own human freedom.

In 1921 Pekka Ervast wrote:

"Christmas is the most precious of festivals, gentle, soft, tender. Christmas is festival of goodness and forgiveness, Christmas is festival of memories. Oh Christmas, open up the doors to the hiding-places of men's souls! Take them back to innocent pleasures of their childhood, let them once more look at each other with faith and trust! Make them once again fall a sweet sleep of a child and let them associate with angels while sleeping! Open their ears to hear the singing of the spirits of nature, so that they could participate in the joy of shepherds, and open up their eyes to see the shining star of Betlehem, that in a company of the wise men of the East they would find the way to the manger of Christ! Amen. So be it."