The Nativity Season

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

Discussion Starter

Show the two boxes you have prepared. Then:

• Ask the class what they might expect to be inside each box. List on a chalkboard or sheet suggestions they come up with.
  
• Ask: “Based on your expectations, which box would you choose?”
• Tell the class you will open the boxes and discuss their reactions at the end of the lesson.

Discussion Questions

•  What are some things you anticipate?
• Have you ever had a time when the event you anticipated did not live up to your expectations?
• If so, how did you react? Were you disappointed, angry, sad, felt cheated?
• Did this experience change the way you now anticipate things?

Short Story

Read the short story, “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry.  Try some of the reading strategies attached to this lesson. Discuss the above questions, this time as they relate to Jim and Della in the story.

Discussion Review

After reading "The Gift of the Magi", discuss the following:

• What are some of the things you anticipate as Christmas draws near?
• Do you think your expectations are realistic?
• Do you think Jim and Della’s expectations were realistic?
• How did Jim and Della deal with the fact of the reality they had to face?
• How do you deal with the reality that your expectations are not always fulfilled?
• How could you modify your expectations of Christmas so that there is a better chance of their being fulfilled?
• In the previous lesson, you and your class talked about the fact that Jesus Christ was a different kind of King from earthly kings, and was born in a way very much humbler than many of them. What do you think this tells us about our expectations of what God will do, and how He will do it?

The Winter Pascha

Read the Resource Handout The Winter Pascha together in class. Then, discuss the following to continue the discussion above:

• How did Mary, Joseph and the Magi prepare for the birth of Christ?
• What opportunities does the Church give us to receive the gift of Christ’s Nativity?
• How does the Winter Pascha prepare us in the same way as Great Lent? How is it different?

Let students give their own answers, based on the WInter Pascha text and their personal  experience in the Church.

He is Approaching. He is Coming.

Distribute the Resource Handout "He is Coming, He is Approaching." Read aloud in unison the verse, which is part of our worship, a few days before Christmas, in the Orthodox Church. Discuss: This verse is about preparation, and has certain sense of urgency. What can we do to prepare ourselves for the Birth of Our Lord? Do you feel there is any urgency about this? (The Church teaches us that preparation is always important because we do not know when our lives will end, or when the Day of Judgment will come.)

Extra Activity

Have each student write the above verse from the Resource Handout He is approaching, He is Coming on a card, decorate it with stickers and glitter if they choose to, and keep it close at hand as a reminder of what we anticipate during the Nativity Fast, also called Advent.

Wrap-Up

As students are cleaning up and preparing for closingrayer, open the boxes and discuss the contents. Ask: Did the contents meet their expectations?

Prayer Reflection

Examine the words of the Closing Prayer.  How do these words help us to prepare for the Nativity of Christ?

Before saying the closing prayer, clarify the following:  “Unapproachable” does not mean that Jesus is frightening or not accessible; rather, stress that in this context “unapproachable” means we should approach Him with awe and due respect.

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

Discussion Starter

Begin by asking the following:

• What are all the things you can think of that you know about Santa Claus? (List students' comments on the chalkboard or butcher paper)
• Where do you think most people get their information about Santa Claus if they are not regular churchgoers?
• Do you think the information most people have about him is complete, or accurate? Why or why not?

Film or Reading on Santa Claus/St. Nicholas

Show the A & E Biography Film (or Biography Channel Film) Santa Claus about the life of St. Nicholas and the development of the character of "Santa Claus". If you are not able to show the film, go ahead to the written materials on St. Nicholas given as Resources for this lesson. The Resource St. Nicholas Archbishop of Myra in Lycia will give you information on the saint's life. St. Nicholas in Wikipedia will give you information on how the saint became known as Santa Claus, and how he is celebrated in various countries and cultures.

You can make a hard copy and mark the parts of the material you want to use, and also show the illustrations to the class.

Discussion Questions

After the video or after reading , ask the students what words or phrases from the original list they might like to change now that they have more information. Ask:

Do you think it is important to know that "Santa Claus" is based on a real person?

What are some of the main differences between Saint Nicholas and the popular character of Santa Claus? What do you think is the most significant difference?

Let students give their own answers to these questions.

The Holy Life of St. Nicholas

Read together the Troparion and Kontakion for St. Nicholas, which are in the Resources. Talk together about the phrases "your humility exalted you" and "your poverty enriched you." Ask students to tell what they think these phrases mean.

 Remind students of the saint's good deeds, kindness and generosity.  Ask students to make “text-to-self” or “text-to-world” connections--times in their life when they helped someone or did acts of kindness and generosity.

Extra Activity: Long Term Service Project

Wrap-Up

As students are preparing for closing prayer, ask the following:  How might the real St. Nicholas have more meaning in talking about how we should live than the character of Santa Claus?

Let students give their own answers.

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think St. Nicholas gave gifts anonymously?
• Is it hard to be anonymous in doing good things? Would you be willing to do things that would help others, and that were costly to you in time, effort, and money, and never have anyone know that it was you who did those things? What are some reasons to be anonymous, and are there any reasons NOT to be anonymous?
  

Let students give their own answers.

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

Discussion Starter

After playing the kontakion ask the following:

• How does knowing this kontakion help us to understand the birth of Christ?
• What kind of a person do you think wrote this hymn?

Review the words of the Christmas Kontakion, which is also the closing prayer for the lesson. As you discuss this hymn, define “kontakion”.  (A sermon in verse accompanied by music.)   Also, remind the students that “transcendent” means surpassing others, supreme, or above the material universe. “Unapproachable” does not mean that Jesus is frightening or not accessible; rather, stress that in this context “unapproachable” means we should approach Him with awe and due respect.

Activity

Begin by playing a recording of the Christmas Kontakion, which is in the Resources for this lesson as an MP3 file which you can download and burn to a CD to use in class. Ask students to listen for what is being expressed, and write their ideas on the chalkboard or a poster.

Next, distribute copies of the Kontakion on the Nativity of Christ, a pdf in the Resources for this lesson. Have the students find these parts of the Kontakion: prelude, stanzas or ikoi (strophes), and refrain.  Also have them check to see how many stanzas are in this kontakion. (Answers: The prelude begins "Today the Virgin..."; the first stanza begins "Bethlehem has opened..."; the refrain of each stanza is "a little child, God before the ages"; there are 24 stanzas.

Read together the 22nd stanza. Ask students: What is the "trinity of gifts" that the Mother of God asks her Son to accept? (The gold, frankincense and myrrh brought to the baby Jesus are mentioned in the 21st stanza--look at them with the class.)  Ask: What three gifts does the Mother ask her Son for? (Temperate seasons, growth of fruits and crops, the well-being of all people. Note that all three gifts are for the benefit of every human being; the Mother of God is our mother as well!)

The Life of St. Romanos

Read the Resource Handout The Life of St. Romanos with the class. Ask students: Do you see the life of St. Romanos as an example to follow?

The Lives of St. Barbara & St. Herman

Read the life of St. Barbara, given in full in the Resource section, and the life of St. Herman in the Resource Handouts. After reading these, ask:

In what ways do you find any of these saints to be models or heroes?

What is most appealing to you in what each (or any one of them) did?

We say that saints are "friends of God." But human friendship is an important part of our life with God. How were these saints friends to others? Who were their friends?

Liturgical Texts Reflection

Read the kontakia for St. Barbara and St. Herman included in the Resource Handouts attached in this lesson. What details in the lives of the saints are important enough to include in the hymns?

The Incarnation of Christ

Have the class read the account of the Nativity of Christ in the Gospel of St. Matthew 1:1 – 2:23. Compare the account in Matthew 2 to the passages in Romanos’ kontakion, noting parallel passages. Then have them look in the kontakion for passages referring to the incarnation of Christ.

Suggestions:  Matthew 2:7 cf. kontakion verses 16-18; Matthew 2:11a cf. kontakion verse 10, line 1-4; Matthew 2:11b cf. kontakion verse 21; Matthew 2:13-15 cf. kontakion verse 24; and for the Incarnation kontakion verses 2, 4, 8.

Activity

Give the class a brief experience of reciting the longer Kontakion you have looked at today. Have one person read the first ikos – the first stanza--and then have the class say the refrain from the last line. Do the same with a few more stanzas and refrains.

Wrap Up

As students are preparing for closing prayer, ask the following:

• How will you read and listen to the kontakia in the future differently?
• What is the importance of the kontakia we read today about St. Barbara and St. Herman?
• How do these kontakia help us to understand the saints better and eventually ourselves?

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

Discussion Starter

Begin by asking the following:

• Do you recall a Gospel reading that contains a long string of names? (Scriptural references:  Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38)
• These Gospel readings are read on the two Sundays before the feast of the Nativity of Christ.  To what do they refer?  (They are genealogies of Mary and Joseph.)
  
• Have you ever created a family tree? Did Jesus have a family tree? (Yes, Jesus did have a family tree and a real family.)

Activity

Have the students create a list of  Jesus’ ancestors by reading Luke 3: 23 – 38 in their Bibles.  Fill in the list with Jesus’ name, Mary, Joseph, David, Jacob, Solomon, etc. Be sure to include Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Isaiah, Mary, Elizabeth, Joachim, Anna, etc. You could have the students work with partners to use all of the names in either Luke 3 or Matthew 1.

Jesse Tree Ornaments

The Sunday before the Nativity of the Lord (December 18-24) is known as the Sunday of the Holy Fathers. On this day the Church commemorates all those who were well-pleasing to God from all ages, from Adam to St. Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, those who are mentioned in the genealogy of Luke 3:23-38. The holy prophets and prophetesses are also remembered today, especially the Prophet Daniel and the three holy youths (December 17).

Give the students the following information about the “Tree of Jesse” as related in Isaiah 11:1.
The Jesse tree represents Jesus' family tree. The name is taken from Isaiah 11:1 – “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” - in which Jesus is referred to as a shoot coming up from the stump of Jesse, the father of David.  The ornaments on the Jesse tree tell of Jesus' ancestors, and of the events leading to Jesus' birth.

Classroom Jesse Tree

Make a Jesse tree for your classroom using the Resources Handout Jesse Tree Ornaments. First, take a large, bare branch and secure it in a pot of sand or rocks. (You can also use a large potted plant or evergreen.) Create ornaments that trace Jesus' royal line by making symbols for some of the people found in the Hebrew testament. Make the ornaments out of cardboard or construction paper and decorate as you like. Put the ancestor of Jesus’ name on the side with the symbol. On the reverse side, put a line drawing or icon of the ancestor of God.

Extra Activity: Reading Time

Wrap Up

As students are cleaning up and preparing for closing prayer, ask the following:

• Why is it important to remember in church all of the ancestors of Jesus?
• Why are there so many generations mentioned in Luke and read in church?

 Let students give their own answers. But make sure they understand that knowing the long line of human ancestors shows us that Jesus Christ truly became one of us, had ancestors like all of us, and lived as a true human being. There are many generations because God was preparing for the human birth of His Son for a long time, and among specific people He chose.

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

Discussion Starter

Begin by asking the following:

• Who are those that “worshipped the stars”?
• Where are they in the icon of the Nativity? Who is the “Sun of Righteousness”?
• Where is He in the icon?
• Why is He also referred to as the “Orient from on high”?
• What is the star that is referred to in the Troparion of the Nativity?

Key Concepts

Present the following ideas to the class:

• We call Jesus divine because He is the Son of God. We know He is God’s Son because God sent the angel Gabriel to deliver this message to the Virgin Mary. In today’s lesson, you’ll learn many other names and phrases that describe Jesus.
  
• We call Jesus human because He is just like you and me. He was born of a human mother on earth just as we are. Today, we will read about His birthday. Another word for birthday is nativity.
  
• Jesus was born late one night in a small town. His mother wrapped Him up to protect Him from the shivering cold, and then placed Him on a bed of hay to keep Him warm. Jesus ate. He slept. He clung to His mother like all newborn babies do. He had some visitors…the cows and sheep, the shepherds and the wise men, the angels singing joyfully. He had lived with God, His Father. Now He was living with us!
  
• Every year, on Christmas, our Church celebrates a great feast day. Sometimes we call it the Nativity. Sometimes we call it the Incarnation. What do all of these words mean? The Nativity is another way of saying “to be born.” It is a Latin word. If you look closely at the word Nativity you will see the beginning of another word we are more used to: native. To be a “native” of someplace means to be born there. To be a “native” of the human race, or of Mankind, means to belong to the human race, to be human.
  
• The word Incarnation is taken from a few words in Latin. In means just what is says “in” something. Carn means the same as it does in carnivorous or carnation. All these words mean “Flesh.” Carnivorous means to be an animal which eats flesh. Carnation means a flower which has a flesh-like color (pinkish). So, the word Incarnation means “the act of taking on flesh.” This means Jesus, the Son of God, took on flesh and was born “human,” of the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit.
  
• Our Church says that Jesus has a “birthday”, like us. He is a “Native” of the human race, like us. This is why we say that He had a human nature; Because He is fully human, like us. His divine nature is shown in the Incarnation: God became man!

Extra Activity

Distribute the resource Handouts The Nativity of Christ by Veselin Kesich.   If possible, read several versions of Matthew 2:1-12 from the attached Resource Handouts.  If time does not permit, allow students to take copies home to explore further on their own time.

The Wise Men's Gifts

Wrap Up

As students are cleaning up and preparing for closing prayer, ask the following:

• What is the greeting that we in the church use for Christmas?
• Why was God’s Son, the greatest King of all, born in such simple circumstances?
• What is the significance of Christ’s birth “as a little child”?
• What are some of the many phrases and names that describe Jesus Christ?

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

The Nativity Gospels: Compare & Contrast

Distribute to the Resource Handout: The Nativity Gospels: Compare & Contrast to the class. Each student should get their own copy.  Have students read the two texts included in the handout silently.  Instruct them to fill out the chart as they are reading.  Then, have them present and discuss the differences they noted.