O Holy Night
O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Til He appeared and the soul felt it's worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel's voices,
O night divine, oh night when Christ was born.
O night divine, oh night, oh night divine.
In mythology we have read of gods coming down to earth as men. Somewhere along the way Christians have gone against the fact of the incarnation of God in Jesus.
The Word was made flesh. The incarnation of God - God has become a human being. Christ came to consecrate and renew the whole universe. "Through the incarnation of God, the whole creation acquires a new meaning, lying in the final purpose of its being - its ultimate transfiguration". Vladimir Lossky
Jesus did not come on earth as a ghost or a phantom. He came from the womb of Mary, the incarnation is real. God became man in order that man might become divine.
There is a sense of unutterable humility of God becoming man.
Jesus is the still center of all worlds - romantic, legendary, supernatural. There is no world, whether in the mind or outside it, of which he is not Lord.
Much of our life is a hurrying on to something else, doing something in order that a goal might be achieved. But joy is an end in itself: joy in life, in the Savior, in God as God.
There is a joy in which all creation is invited to share - rejoicing in the gift of life which God has bestowed upon us, in the gift of Christ who comes to redeem our warped world, in God as God for his own sake.
Our lives are touched by the dignity, grace and tenderness of the incarnate God.
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May we all feel the love and tenderness, the forgiveness and compassion that God has for each and every one of us. Merry Christmas to all of you!
The photo is of a painting done by Geertgen tot Sint Jans.
The painting and writings were from the wonderful little book "A Gallery of Reflections THE NATIVITY of CHRIST" by Richard Harries. This book has more wonderful paintings and devotional writings by Richard Harries.
Created on ... December 03, 2000
