Tag: Christmas

And the Word Became Flesh

December 26, 2021

St. Gregory of Nyssa called Christmas the “festival of re-creation.” It is God giving God’s own life to his people. It is as if God said, “I want humanity to see my face. I want them to hear my voice. I want them to touch me. I want them to smell my sweat. I want them to eat my body. I want to live their life. I want them to live my life.” “And the word became flesh and lived among us.” This is God in the flesh, the divine human, holy humanity. … More And the Word Became Flesh

The Gamble of the Incarnation

December 24, 2021

They themselves became the image of the incarnation, where humanity and divinity become one.

At the incarnation, with the birth of Jesus, in the Word become flesh, God disarms completely. It was an absolutely insane and risky thing to do: trusting a people with such a horrible track record of violence and war with the birth of the son of God. But, that is precisely what God does! God gambles on us. It’s an incredulous, risky gamble when God bets on us, pushing all the chips in and saying, “No matter what I’m holding and no matter what you’re holding, no matter the cards left in the deck. I’m all here. I’m all in. I’m with you.” … More The Gamble of the Incarnation

Oranges in the Stocking

December 24, 2020

The incarnation of love that the nativity parables point to is the same love encountered in Jesus during his ministry. Yes, in Jesus – in this radical, freethinking, boundary-breaking, justice-seeking, peacemaking, wound-healing Jesus – we discover the icon of the God who is love in ways that shatter our understanding. In our experience of Jesus, even death cannot rob us, even pandemics cannot hold us down. That’s why the Christmas parable is so important in our annual celebrations of life. Everything about the Nativity parable points us to the reality of the divine in everyday, fleshy stuff of life. … More Oranges in the Stocking

Holy Name, Holy Being

January 1, 2017

God gives God’s name to Israel and through the name God’s very self. It is committed in trust to Israel, translating the guarantee of God’s nearness and readiness to help. The name spoke directly of God’s holiness and righteousness shared and covenanted with Israel: “So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:27) … More Holy Name, Holy Being