When we hear about the birth of a king or an heir of a king it occurs to us how much attention this heir will get from people and how much honor and glory will envelop this important event. However the events of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings, are rather mystifying!

He was born on a cold evening in an unpleasant place, a manger for animals, for he couldn’t find a place among people. What is truly amazing is that although He is the King of kings who is able of doing anything and could have been born in a great place and in much better conditions, His choice and marvelous plan was to be born in such a humble place. He accepted the rejection of people whom He came to save and to elevate from the lowest level man can be.

When the King of kings was born, no one from earth celebrated Him, but the heavenly beings recognized the honor that earth has obtained through His birth, so they celebrated and chanted: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14). Some of them appeared to some men to

 clarify this important event: “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people, For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 1:10-11), so these men went to visit the King of kings who is born to save the world. They were amazed as to seeing Him in a humble manger, and then they returned “glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.” (Luke 2:20).

This great King did not come to compete with earthly kings in their dominion, kingdoms, or positions. He is a King of a kingdom that is not of this world (John 18:36). Nonetheless, the kings of this earth were troubled by His arrival and supposed that He came to take their place and dominion. Likewise, he who is attached to the earthly kingdoms will be greatly troubled if he feels that there is any threat to his positions. Herod hastened and killed tens of children in Bethlehem to destroy this new King thinking that by doing so he will protect his throne.

It is remarkable that the history tells us that Herod died few months after the birth of the King of kings. He died and could not keep his earthly throne, died and lost all his positions and dominion for which he killed many to preserve. This is the tragedy of the man who seeks earthly positions so he fights, hurts, trample over people for the sake of earthly gain that will be soon lost. These earthly gains are truly “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14).

Christ came as a heavenly King, His kingdom will never be destroyed as Daniel prophesized about Him and said: “To Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:14). This was also emphasized by Archangel Gabriel in his annunciation to our mother Virgin Mary that the One born of her is a Holy King and of  His kingdom there will be no end (Luke 1:33).

Until now, most humans do not recognize that this heavenly King was born in the flesh and came to the world to elevate the people to the heavenly level and to restore man to his original honor. The King accepted to take the form of a servant to give freedom to the servants, to make them royalties, and to grant them everlasting kingdom which is much greater and more honorable than any earthly kingdom. The great Kingdom is what St. Peter the Apostle described as “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven...” (1 Peter 1:4).

The Son of God was incarnate and was borne in this world to make us kings and to be among us as a King of kings. Therefore we glorify God with St. Paul the Apostle saying: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” (Hebrews 12:28).

I wish you a blessed and happy feast of the Nativity, the birthday of the King of kings who made us heavenly kings.