As we make our final preparations to receive The Christ the classic carol comes to mind: “Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love divine; Love was born at Christmas; star and angels gave the sign.” Preparing to receive such Love, otherwise known as the “Incarnation”, we in the depths of our being sense a stirring in our soul to become incarnational; bathed in love we become love to the world!
The early church father, St. John Chrysostom (born in Antioch 349A.D.) wrote:
“I behold a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the shepherds’ song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The angels sing. The archangels blend their voice in harmony. The cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The seraphim exalt his glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth . . . God who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised up.” (Watch For The Light, p. 225-226)
Love came down at Christmas and we “behold a new and wondrous mystery.” In God’s descending we experience the holy; invited into the flow of creation and God’s acts of new creation!
With anticipation we wait, and with humility we receive, Love came down at Christmas! I pray that you are able to give yourself over to this holy mystery of incarnation. Allow yourself to experience God’s love in a new way, become a participant in the flow of God’s love, and in our becoming we become God’s incarnation to the world.
Christmas Blessings,
Pastor Doug