January 2026 Letter

Dear Brethren,
Wishing you a Happy New Year and blessed Nativity feast. The Incarnation of the Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the foundation of Christianity. To understand the goals of the Incarnation, we learn from the writings of His Grace Bishop Mousa, Bishop of Youth:
There were serious problems facing humanity after the Fall, and there was no other solution except for God the Word to incarnate in order to solve these problems, which could not be solved by anyone but God Himself. These problems are:
1) The Problem of Knowing God:
God is a Spirit, infinite and beyond comprehension, and man is attached to matter and limited. Does God remain high in His heaven, distant from man who is bound to material things and senses? Is it possible for man, in his weakness and limitation, to ascend to the heavens of God? Thus, God incarnated “as a wise teacher,” as St. Athanasius described, to become close to us and tangible to us.
2) The Problem of Human Death:
This is the essential and fundamental problem: “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6: 23). This is an irreversible divine judgment because it is the natural outcome for the fallen soul. So who can renew the soul and spirit? Who can raise the bodies after they are buried and decayed? Who can transform them into glorified bodies? Only God, undoubtedly.
3) The Corruption of Human Nature:
Man fell and his nature became corrupted and polluted. Of course, it was possible for God to forgive him, even though He had warned him about disobedience. However, the issue was not about God’s willingness to forgive, but about the nature of man and who would renew it after it had been corrupted. This work is impossible for the fallen human, any prophet, or angel, because all are created and limited. The recreation of man requires the Creator Himself.
4) The Power of Satan:
Man subjected himself to Satan’s power, and Satan held him captive. Even when the righteous died, they descended to the underworld. If Paradise was closed and Satan held their souls, who could release humanity from the grip of Satan, whether the living on earth or the righteous souls in the underworld? Who could enter this unknown realm and free the captives? It is impossible for anyone to do this except God Himself.
Thus, the Incarnation became the ultimate solution to all of mankind’s problems, the only path to salvation from them, and the way to union with God and the hope for eternal life.
May the blessings of the incarnation of our Lord, blessings of St. Mary & St. Mercurius be with us all.
Belleville, January 1, 2026

رسالة شهر يناير ٢٠٢٦