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."

Christmas and Easter

I like both Christmas and Easter. Christmas in the darkest time of the year here in the North, when all life of nature has withdrawn into invisibility; at the same time Christmas celebration is outwardly rich. During Easter nature is waking up again, together with the sun. But the inner side of Easter is much, much larger than meets the eye!

My Congregation meets in the modest surroundings, an old residential building, renovated to chapel. No matter how humble a place might be, in The Act of Consecration the roof is lifted up to heavens and the great invisible world is present. Much of the same it must have been the case in that stable where baby Jesus was born. A star was shining like candles on the altar. We hear the Good News from the realm of angels. Shepherds honored the child (shepherd=pastor) and the Magi brought their gifts; as the cup of gold is elevated and the smoke of insence mixed with Myrrh is rising. Ultimately, we will experience Easter and Pentecost as well, through Transsubstantiation and Communion!
Even the destiny of Earth as a whole is concentrated in eternal present at this threshold of two worlds, from the creation to the prophecy of future: God said: "Let there be light" and candles are lighted in the beginning of the Service; Seven days of Genesis - seven golden lampstands of Revelation - seven candles on the altar.

For over a decade it has been a pleasure for me to cook a special Christmas dinner with plenty of courses, first for me and my mother and brother, nowadays for me and my partner. The food I make, is always enough for the whole week! I don't make many traditional Finnish Christmas dishes - I prefer creating my own traditions. For the dinner we dress up smartly.
In Finland presents are unwrapped on Christmas Eve. By the way, did you know Santa Claus lives in Lappland, Finland - not North Pole!? And reindeers that fly - what a ridiculous idea! But they taste good: one of my Christmas courses is made of reindeer meat.

In the midnight before Christmas day we go to Church; it's the only time of the year when my partner is with me (that's just because he doesn't want to get up early on Sunday mornings).
After the service we still visit the cemetary on the way home. There is the sea of lighted candles as it is a tradition in Finland. This particular cemetary is located partly on the hill, and below you may see the city lights. There are the lights for the living and the lights for the dead, and yet those cold electric lights in the world of the living make me wonder which is which after all...

Already for the past three years on Maundy Thursday evening we have organized at home an Agape Meal or the Feast of Love among small circle of close friends. It is a simple ritual meal (we offer vegetarian soup) with Scripture reading, prayer, meditation, and hymn. I've made up this ritual from several sources and now it finally seems to be complete: there's nothing to add and nothing to remove. This is our Easter tradition.