The Blessings of the Incarnation

The Blessings of the Incarnation St. Mary & St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church Youth Meeting

What does the Incarnation show? • God’s utmost LOVE • God’s supreme humility • The value of the human soul in front of God • The concept of God’s power as opposed to our concept of power

Best Analogy • A lamp connected to electricity. If you unplug it, its light goes off. The only way for it to light again, is to connect it back. • The only solution is for God to re-establish the connection through the incarnation • The incarnation is the central dogma in the Christian faith – without there is no Christianity

The Incarnation • All rituals and religious practice receive a different meaning in light of the incarnation • Elements: • Sin distorted the Image of God in Man • The incarnation restored the distorted image • The incarnation brought back unity to Man • The incarnation restored life back to the dead Man • The incarnation brought Man back to holiness

The Image of God in Man • God created us in His image and Likeness • Man was created for eternity • Man was created to resemble God in holiness, righteousness, and dominion • Man was created as a Unity • Sin: • Death entered into the world • Passions and evil desires • Divisions

Restoring the Fallen Image • Christ is the Icon of God • Through baptism, we become clothed with Christ - people seeing us should see Christ • “29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29).

Restoring the Fallen Image • “21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:21)

Restoring Unity • Christ came to restore unity: • Unity between the soul and the body • Unity between man and his brothers & sisters • Unity between heaven and earth • Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me,[a] that they may be one as We are. (John 17:11)

Restoring Unity • The source of unity is the Eucharistic – that is why in our church rituals the Eucharistic is one bread

Restoring Life to the Dead Man • God is the only source of LIFE. That is why Christ said clearly • “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:54)

The Incarnation and Holiness • We cannot make ourselves holy by our own powers • Holiness is the work of God in us. We just need to desire that work • In his Incarnation, Christ sanctified all stages of Man’s life

The Blessings of the Incarnation