Living the Life

Ἓν μίσησον τῶν περὶ τὴν Χριστοῦ γένναν, τὴν Ἡρώδου παιδοκτονίαν· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ταύτην αἰδέσθητι, τὴν ἡλικιῶτιν Χριστοῦ θυσίαν, τοῦ καινοῦ σφαγίου προθυομένην. Ἂν εἰς Αἴγυπτον φεύγῃ, προθύμως συμφυγαδεύθητι. Καλὸν τῷ Χριστῷ συμφεύγειν διωκομένῳ. Ἂν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ βραδύνῃ, κάλεσον αὐτὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καλῶς ἐκεῖ προσκυνούμενον. Διὰ πασῶν ὅδευσον ἀμέμπτως τῶν ἡλικιῶν Χριστοῦ καὶ δυνάμεων, ὡς Χριστοῦ μαθητής. Ἁγνίσθητι, περιτμήθητι, περιελοῦ τὸ ἀπὸ γενέσεως κάλυμμα. Μετὰ τοῦτο δίδαξον ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, τοὺς θεοκαπήλους ἀπέλασον· λιθάσθητι, ἂν τοῦτο δέῃ παθεῖν· λήσῃ τοὺς βάλλοντας, εὖ οἶδα, φεύξῃ καὶ διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν, ὡς Θεός. Ὁ Λόγος γὰρ οὐ λιθάζεται. Ἂν Ἡρώδῃ προσαχθῇς, μηδὲ ἀποκριθῇς τὰ πλείω. Αἰδεσθήσεταί σου καὶ τὴν σιωπὴν πλέον ἢ ἄλλων τοὺς μακροὺς λόγους. Ἂν φραγελλωθῇς, καὶ τὰ λειπόμενα ζήτησον. Γεῦσαι χολῆς, διὰ τὴν γεῦσιν· ὄξος ποτίσθητι, ζήτησον ἐμπτύσματα, δέξαι ῥαπίσματα, κολαφίσματα· ἀκάνθαις στεφανώθητι, τῷ τραχεῖ τοῦ κατὰ Θεὸν βίου· περιβαλοῦ τὸ κόκκινον, δέξαι κάλαμον, προσκυνήθητι παρὰ τῶν παιζόντων τὴν ἀλήθειαν· τέλος συσταυρώθητι, συννεκρώθητι, συντάφηθι προθύμως, ἵνα καὶ συναναστῇς, καὶ συνδοξασθῇς, καὶ συμβασιλεύσῃς, Θεὸν ὁρῶν ὅσον ἐστὶ, καὶ ὁρώμενος, τὸν ἐν Τριάδι προσκυνούμενόν τε καὶ δοξαζόμενον, ὃν καὶ νῦν τρανοῦσθαι ἡμῖν εὐχόμεθα, ὅσον ἐφικτὸν τοῖς δεσμίοις τῆς σαρκὸς. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΛΗ'

Let there be one hatred concerning the Birth of Christ: the murder of the infants by Herod. 1 Or rather let this even be venerated, the sacrifice of those who were the same age as Christ, sacrificed before the killing of the new victim. If He flees into Egypt, joyfully be a fellow exile. It is a fair thing to share the banishment of the persecuted Christ. If He stays long in Egypt, call Him out of Egypt by a reverent worship of Him there. Travel without fault through every part of the Life of Christ, thus to be a disciple of Christ. Be purified, be circumcised, strip off the veil which has covered you from birth. After this teach in the Temple, and drive out the traders of holy things. 2 Be stoned, if it is necessary to suffer it, for well I know you shall be hidden from those who cast the stones, and you shall escape  through the midst of them, like God. Being brought before Herod, do not answer much. 3 He will have respect for your silence more than the long speeches of others. If you are scourged, 4 seek for what they leave out. Taste gall for the taste's sake; 5 drink vinegar; 6 seek spit; accept the buffeting of blows, be crowned with thorns, that is, with the hardness of the holy life; put on the purple, take the reed, and receive worship from those who mock the truth; lastly, be crucified with Him, die with Him, be buried with Him gladly, that you may rise with Him and be glorified with Him and reign with Him. Look at and be looked at by the Great God, Who in Trinity is worshipped and glorified, and whom we declare to be now set forth clearly before you as far as it is possible in the bonds of the flesh. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, Oration 38 1 Mt 2:16 2 Jn 2:15 3 Lk 23:9 4 Jn 19:1 5 Mt 27:34 6 Jn 19:29