The Sunday After Christmas-- The Good Astrology-- The Stars Teach Us Virtue, as We Leave the Future to the Providence of God

Brothers and sisters in Christ—

In the Church’s hymns for the feast day of the Nativity of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, very often we find the star mentioned, and, indeed, the Gospel reading for the feast itself tells us the story of the visit of the Wise Men from the East, who followed the star to Bethlehem, to the cave-stable in which Christ was born.  According to the Holy Gospel, the Wise Men said to King Herod: “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East and we have come to worship Him.” And, on the eve of the feast, we already sing: “The Persian Magi clearly recognized the heavenly King born on earth. Led by a bright star, they arrived at Bethlehem bearing choice gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh; and falling down, they adored Him; for they saw the eternal One, lying as a Child, in the cave.” And the special tropars, which we sing during the readings, remind us: “You were born in a cave, hidden from the eyes of all; but the heavens revealed You to all by means of a star, O Saviour. It brought the Magi to adore You; they worshiped You in the fervour of their faith. Have mercy upon all of us,” and “You have shone forth from the Virgin, O Christ, Sun of Justice. A star found You, whom nothing can contain, manifested in the cave. It led the Magi to adore you. With them, we worship You, O Giver of life, glory to You!”

     These beautiful hymns show us the importance of the heavenly star for us. It is worth noting as well, that according to our tradition, when a group of carolers goes out from house to house, sharing the joyful news of Christ’s Birth, they always carry the star with them.  This symbol is very important for us, because it encapsulates so well the entire mystery of the Incarnation, which we celebrate, for God descended from Heaven to be with us, but He did not leave Heaven and the Royal Throne of His Father, but He remained there also, for He, just as we say of the Holy Spirit, is “everywhere present and fills all things.” In Christ, Heaven and Earth are united, just as God and the human race are united in Him. 

     Of course, the Holy Church has always condemned astrology, for the basis of this pseudo-science is the idea, that the movement of the heavenly bodies (the stars and planets) constrains human free will according to regular, observable laws, and if we understand these laws, then we are able to predict the future.  But St. Augustine, in his book Confessions, revealed the fundamental error of astrology as long ago as the fourth century, for he observed that two people, who were born on the same day, and at the same time, and, therefore, under the same horoscope, had two very different fates.  It is, in fact, not possible to predict the future, because the future belongs to God.  Instead, it is necessary for us to look to Heaven in prayer, in order to ask for understanding and insight.  Nevertheless, there is a good astrology, so to speak, which looks upon the heavenly bodies, and regards them as symbols, which teach us about virtue.

     Our Holy Father Ephrem the Syrian speaks to us about this good astrology in his Hymns on the Nativity.  In the sixth Hymn, St. Ephrem reminds us that Christ our God had two heralds, when He came among us in the Incarnation: one in heaven—the bright star, and the other on the earth—St. John the Baptist.  He says: “In the heights, just as in the depths, this Child has two heralds: the bright shining star, which shines in the heights, and John also becomes His herald here on earth.  Behold the two heralds—one from the earth, the other from heaven.  This one in the highest preaches concerning His Nature, which is from the Majesty, and this one in the depths preaches concerning His nature, which is from humanity.  O what a great wonder! By these two, His Divinity and humanity are proclaimed.  The Star reminds the person, who thinks that He is only terrestrial, that He is also heavenly; but, John reminds him, who thinks that He is only a pure Spirit, that also He is corporeal.” This beautiful hymn shows us the correspondence between heaven and earth, which we see in the Incarnation.  We need to show the same harmonious correspondence in our lives, because we ought always to work so as to make heavenly virtues present on the earth.  A star shines with great purity and constancy, and we must imitate these heavenly bodies according to their virtues.  Our faith, hope and love need to be as immovable as the stars, heedless as they are of the circumstances of this world.