“Let us, who mystically represent the cherubim and sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-giving trinity, lay aside all worldly cares, that we may receive the King of all, invisibly escorted by the angelic hosts. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
“The soul of a Christian who has not learned how to become alienated from worldly cares during the Divine Liturgy, will never be able to admire the all-heavenly… Mind and heart will not be glorified in splendor by the inconceivable grandeur of the heavenly Altar and the angelic hymns” St. John Chrysostom.
Now is the time to set aside all worldly cares and focus exclusively on Christ our Savior. This includes all the thoughts of family, our jobs, all our worries, and our trials and tribulations. Fill the mind instead with Christ: “Lord have mercy on me.” To be so attentive as to shed our worldly cares demands that we adopt a contrite state––one of extreme humility. We must recognize our unworthiness to receive the Precious Gifts that are about to be presented to us. We should realize how blessed we are to receive these gifts for our spiritual benefit.
Our pride must be crushed. Why? In order to truly receive the “king of all” we must come on bender knee. Jesus Christ is the most powerful king of all, God Himself, One of Three, who came without an army but with total humility.
Having set aside our worldly cares we join with the multitude of angelic bodiless powers, and “mystically represent the cherubim,” who continually “sing the thrice-holy hymn.” At this time the entire church is transformed into a part of the heavenly Church––the Church Triumphant.
So as this Christmas celebration approaches and the King of Glory prepares to enter the world, come as the shepherds. The shepherds were the most humble of all the people. Yet, god called them to be the first outside the Holy Family to see and worship the King. Even the magi, kings from afar, came in humility to meet this King. These kings made a long journey to fall before the King of Kings to present their gifts and bow before Him in worship.
Neither the shepherds nor magi fully understood Who was laying before them in the manger. We have that knowledge and combined with humble faith, we can join the song of the Cherubim, Seraphim and all the Angelic Hosts as an honor guard singing in a single melody, “Holy, Holy, Holy….Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
As the Angels invisibly escort the King of All, may we all escort Him into this world as earthly heralds announcing the Glory of His coming.
“You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth” Psalm 80:2