Bishop's Christmas Letter
The Right Rev'd Thomas Kleppinger- Acting Metropolitan
Dear Brethren,
The Psalmist, writing in the second Psalm, says at the 7th verse: "I will
declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son;
this day have I begotten thee." Once again Holy Mother Church summons you
to Bethlehem to see the loving kindness of our God lying in swaddling clothes
in the manger. The Babe in the Manger is God! He has been given the Name of
Jesus because He shall save His people from their sins. It has been decreed
that His Name is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee
shall bow.
This Psalm speaks of those who appear as the adversaries to Christ. As this
world is the kingdom of Satan, unconverted men, of every rank, party, and
character, are stirred up by Satan to oppose the cause of God. Your faith in Christ engages
you in warfare against spiritual wickedness in high places. The rulers of the earth generally have been most active in
opposition to Christ. The truths and precepts of Christianity are against
ambitious projects and worldly lusts. You are told what they aim at in this
opposition. They would break asunder the bands of conscience, and the cords
of God's commandments; they will not receive, but cast them away as far as
they can. The enemies of the Cross of Christ can show no good cause for
opposing so just and holy a government, which, if received by all, would
bring a heaven upon earth and that peace for which all men are seeking.
The Christmas Season manifests the inroads of the heathen who seem bent on
removing every vestige of God from our society. The secularists challenge any display of the Lord's
Nativity on public property. Yet it is ironic that while they strive to take Jesus out of the public
celebration, some let stand the word Christmas, not knowing that it is the contracted form of
Christ's Mass. The Christ Mass is essential to the life of the Church and provision has
always made for three Masses to be celebrated on the solemn occasion of
Christmas. These are to honor the threefold Nativity of Christ. 1-His
eternal generation and nativity, born from all eternity and before all time
of His Father; 2-His nativity and generation in time according to His human
nature, being born of the Blessed Virgin Mary; and 3-His spiritual birth by
grace in the hearts and souls of His faithful people. The Psalmist takes note that "The kings of the earth set themselves, and
the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his
anointed...but He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall
have them in derision." Traditionalist Christians will not compromise the
Faith of Christ with the world and those that take counsel against the Lord
and His Anointed, and they have never have had an easy go of it. The Bible
says you do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Jesus said that in this spiritual battle, only
those who are faithful unto the end shall be saved. You take solace in the
fact that the world can hope for no success in opposing so powerful a
kingdom as that of the Lord Jesus Christ. All power in heaven and earth has
been given unto Him who is Head over all things to the Church,
notwithstanding the restless endeavors of his enemies. Christ's throne is
set up in His Church. It is in the hearts of His believers. You have His
promise that the gates of hell shall not ultimately prevail, even though
from time to time the going will be hard in the battle that is over against
you. You are comforted by the truth that "greater is He that is in you (the
Lord Jesus Christ), than he that is in the world." Never, never give up!
Christ is the victory and you lay hold upon it by faith. The Psalmist takes note that "Blessed are all they that put their trust in
God." The Little Lord Jesus is your salvation. He who is eternal was born
into your world. He took your nature upon Himself--sin being the only
exception--in order to take you sins upon Himself at Calvary's Cross, and
fill you with His righteousness. Jesus came in order that you might have
life, and have it more abundantly. The joy and peace in Christ that passes
understanding comes when Jesus is born into your hearts by faith. Christ in
you is your hope of glory, and the words of the Psalmist become your own,
"I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son;
this day have I begotten thee."
+Thomas