December 25, 2005

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us
John 1:14a

Despite concerns by some conservates that Christ is disappearing from Christmas and the campaigns to keep Christ in Christmas, in fact, Christ is in Christmas. An unavoidable, historic event lies at the heart of Christmas, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

When Quirinius was governor of Syria and Caesar Augustus was emperor of Rome, the time came for Mary to deliver her child. In the little town of Bethlehem, she gave birth to her firstborn son.

That child - wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger - was the Word made flesh! The divine logos entered human history embodied in Mary's son, God, who in the beginning made the universe by his creative Word, took on human form to dwell among his people as redeeming Word.

John talks about the wonder and mystery of this incarnation of the eternal logos at the outset of his gospel. "In the beginning was the Word," he writes, "and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him." (John 1:1-3a)

A few sentences later in the prologue of his gospel, John makes a startling assertion. Suddenly and without warning, he declares that the mighty, life-giving power of creation has become flesh in the Christ-child. John takes a look in Bethlehem's manger, and in some of the most astounding words ever written, he says: "The Word became flesh and lived among us." (John 1:14a)

This stupendous event of God"s descent to earth - the awesome, majestic reality of immortal deity "from heaven above to earth come down" - is the irremovable core of Christmas. "What we are in fact celebrating is the awe-inspiring humility of God," J. B. Phillips writes, "and no amount of familiarity with the trappings of Christmas should ever blind us to its quiet but explosive significance." Condensing his remarks into a single sentence, Phillips, the New Testament translator, says, "Christmas ... reminds us quite simply that God became man."

God our Father, with Mary and Joseph, the angels and shepherds, we rejoice in the birth of your Son, our Savior - in the staggering, towering miracle of the Incarnation. As we celebrate Christmas - the advent of Christ the Lord - let the good news of your Word-become-flesh resound in our hearts and families, our congregation and the whole Church, in our nation and throughout the world. In Christ's name we pray. Amen

Contributed by Pastor Richard.
Published Sunday December 25, 2005
Week 4 of Liturgical Year B