There
are two great moments during the ordinary calendar year when all
people, all nations and indeed all of creation “grinds to an amazing halt,” and
for one brief, reverential, fearful, silent, awesome and wonderful moment
“holds its breath!” It is undeniable, as most guardians of philosophies and theologies
can tell you and it happens every year like clock-work.
The
first of these moments we recall and celebrate right NOW. It is the proclamation of the good news, the greatest of all times, that God has broken into human history (and become one of us) – he has “pitched
his tent among his people” – so that he could relate to them simply, directly, powerfully and personally this message: “I LOVE YOU” – so very, very much – LOVE ONE ANOTHER, THEN, as much!
I
love you enough to reduce myself to the form of a tiny, weak
and vulnerable baby, born in a stable in Bethlehem – because there was no room
for him at the adjacent inn. The animals there gladly offered their house and
were very proud and happy that Emmanuel (God-with-us) was born there – right
where they ate supper – He who was to give himself as Food and Supper to
everyone later on for their spiritual strength and comfort throughout life.
Yes,
there is something radically different about Christmas Day – no
matter who you are – you can just feel it.
The
other moment during the year that causes all of the
universe to hold its breath was the
event at 3pm on a Friday afternoon in early April on a hill outside Jerusalem – Calvary they called it; for at that
moment GOD’S VERY LOVE FOR ALL OF HUMANITY AND CREATION – MADE FLESH, JESUS
CHRIST - DIED A HUMAN DEATH – a very
real one – to save all of humanity and creation from its sins and failings – so
that the great and necessary reconciliation between God and the world could
finally be accomplished – so that the gates of heaven could be dramatically
swung open once again to receive all of the faithful who love God and try to
live how Jesus asked them to live. [These ways are kept in written form in a
book called The Bible, for those who
want to know what they are and who want to follow them.]
Yes,
we cannot have “the crib without the cross.”
Perhaps
each day this coming New Year we can pause for a moment,
take a deep breath and thank God our Father for coming up with so marvelous and mysterious a plan, a way for us to have our
sins forgiven, and to live with Him forever, and think of “the crib and cross”
of Jesus his Son, our Brother, that made it all possible.
And into the darkness of the
night came the Light of God’s love –
and God’s peace -
[Merry
Christmas to all, and God’s richest blessings be upon you!]
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