How the Righteous Suffer - Sermon for the Sunday after Nativity (2026)

Christ is born!

Today, on the Sunday after the Nativity of Our Lord and God Jesus Christ, we commemorate the Holy Righteous Prophet-King David, the Holy Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, and the Holy Apostle James the brother of God and first bishop of Jerusalem. Each of these saints requires their own accolades. Each requires their own sermons. Each requires their own rightful place of honor. Each possesses their own rich history. Each possesses a rich tradition of hagiography. Each is perpetually honored by the Church, whether explicitly or implicitly.

David the Prophet-King is chanted at every service, both public and private. Thus he is honored perpetually by the Church.

Joseph the Betrothed humbly rejoices whenever the Most Pure Virgin Mother of God, over whom he was appointed guardian, is honored and praised. Thus, since she is hymned at every service, both public and private, St. Joseph is silently honored perpetually by the Church.

St. James the Brother of God handed on to the Church the first liturgy, which he prayed since Pentecost in Jerusalem the Mother of Churches. Thus, since this liturgy informed all the others, including the one we are now celebrating, he is perpetually honored by the Church.

All three show us how to patiently endure trials and afflictions for Christ. Knitting the example of these three together we possess a vivid image of how to suffer with and for Christ.

David, a man after God’s own heart. David, still a weak man, committed adultery and murder. Nathan revealed his sins. David repented. God forgave him. Nathan revealed that the child born from the adulterous union would die. David lost that child, though he fasted and prayed. Nathan revealed that he would be pursued by one of his later sons because of his sins. David endured. David did not hate this son. David accepted the repercussion of his sins. David loved his son even when the son could only be stopped by being slain in battle by David’s soldiers. David therefore shows us how to endure trials, afflictions, and sufferings which come upon us rightfully because of our sins. David shows us how to receive the healing chastisement of the Lord unto the purification of our souls. David thus points us to Christ Who suffered, not for any sin of His, since He is Sinless God and Sinless Man, but for our sins. David thus exhorts us to suffer as the Good Thief, who acknowledged his cross as justified but the Cross of Christ as undeserved.

Joseph was appointed to be the guardian of the Virgin once she exited the Temple at age 12. Joseph was abashed and reluctant. Joseph was warned by the priest. Joseph accepted his obedience. Joseph went on a work journey. Joseph came back. Joseph discovered the Virgin to be pregnant with child. Joseph rebuked her. Mary denied sin. Joseph doubted. Mary mourned but did not explain the divine origin of the babe. Joseph thought to put her away privately, being a just and good man. Joseph was forestalled. An angel appeared to him. The angel revealed what Mary said not. The angel dispelled the darkness of all doubt. Joseph accepted his obedience again. Joseph, about 80 years old, endured harsh eyes from others who saw him betrothed to a pregnant teenager. Joseph died with the sweet name of Jesus on his lips. Joseph therefore shows us how to endure trials, afflictions, and sufferings which come upon us to perfect us. Joseph shows us how to receive involuntary trials voluntarily, thus crowning trials which we rightfully deserve because of our sins with trials placed upon us by the Lord for the furtherance of our likeness to Christ. Joseph thus points us to Christ Who suffered involuntary things voluntarily for our salvation. Joseph thus exhorts us to suffer similarly for our further unity with Christ.

James was a just and righteous man. James was a Nazarite. James was a virgin from his youth. James was an ascetic. James was Joseph’s son by another woman. James was Jesus’ stepbrother. James believed this stepbrother to be Christ before all their other relatives. James learned the secrets of the Virgin’s birth, life in the Holy of Holies, betrothal, and Annunciation. James understood the great mystery of the Incarnation of God, seeing the true glory of his stepbrother Jesus. James was one of the 70 apostles sent two-by-two by the Lord to preach the Gospel. James was present at Pentecost. James was ordained the first bishop—first in the Church, first of Jerusalem. James refused to deny Christ. James was thrown from the pinnacle of the Temple. James was then slain. James cried out with his last breath the prayer of his Divine Brother and St. Stephen: “O Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do; lay not this sin to their charge!” James therefore shows us how to endure trials, afflictions, and sufferings which come upon us that we might learn how to love our enemies as Christ commanded. James loved his enemies. James blessed those who cursed him. James did good to those who hated him. James prayed for those who despised, persecuted, mistreated, and killed him. James thus points us to Christ Who prayed for His murderers, excused them as ignorant of their sin, and receives all who repent for crucifying Him by sin, making them ascend to heaven through repentance.

Today, according to the Menaion, we also commemorate the 14,000 Holy Innocents slain by Herod for the sake of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Herod desired the death of Christ. The soldiers killed every child, except Christ. The Holy Innocents knew not what they were slain for. Christ accepted them unto Himself. The Holy Innocents are ranked with the martyrs. God receives their blood as precious and holy for the sake of His Only-Begotten Innocent Son. The Holy Innocents therefore show us how to endure trials, afflictions, and sufferings even when we do not understand why. The Holy Innocents teach us to endure even if we think ourselves innocent of the intensity of such suffering. The Holy Innocents teach us to receive injustice against ourselves in silence, instilling within us hope that God will recompense such endurance more than a hundredfold. The Holy Innocents thus point us to Christ Who alone suffered as an Innocent Victim for the sins of all the world. If we confess our sins, this Innocent One is faithful to forgive us all injustice. If we say we have no sin, we declare the Truth Himself to be lying. If we confess our sins and need for a Savior we confess Christ as the Only Innocent Sinless One. Christ will save us who repent in this manner.

David teaches us the hope of repentance. Joseph teaches us the faith of silent patience. James teaches us the love of Christ. The Holy Innocents teach us that mysteries are revealed to the humble, those who do not pry, those who await the revelation of secret matters in God’s time, never thinking themselves worthy of greater knowledge.

David foreshadowed Christ by loving his enemies. Joseph overshadowed Christ by his obedience. James dispelled the shadow of the Law by his martyric confession of Christ. The Holy Innocents depict the gloomy shadow of the atrocities of this wicked world, but all the more the incomprehensible life laid up in the heavens for us by Christ our Reward.

If we stumble, let us not despair! If we are tried, let us not flee! If we are persecuted, let us not deny! If we are perplexed, let us remain patient with eyes fixed toward heaven from which we await Our Savior a second time.

Let us liberate ourselves from sin and despair by David’s humble repentance. Let us liberate ourselves from frustration and suffering by Joseph’s submission to the will of God. Let us liberate ourselves from the poisonous suffering of hatred by James’ love for his enemies. Let us liberate ourselves from the proud questioning of God’s incomprehensible ways by the endurance of the Holy Innocents.

Christ came for sick sinners, not the righteous. Christ came as an obedient servant of mankind, not as a tyrant. Christ came as the Lover of Mankind, even of the most vile men, not as a vengeful punisher. Christ came in innocence for the guilty to drain them of sin and overfill them with His divine life.

Let us beg Christ to wash us from our sins, our ignorance, our hard-heartedness, and pride. Let us beg Christ to once again breathe the impulse of eternal life into our souls. Let us beg Christ to reinvigorate our deadness. Let us beg Christ to perfect us. Let us beg Christ to add virtue to virtue within us. Let us beg Christ for everything He alone knows we need. Let us beg Christ by unceasingly praying: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me,  a sinner! Let us beg Christ to dwell ever more fully in us, and we in Him, together with His Unoriginate Father and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Creating Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen!

Christ is born!