We have crossed the threshold of the longest night. Days are getting longer. Yet, many in our area have experienced literal periods of darkness, related to the planned power shutoffs to prevent wildfires due to downed power lines. As one of the neighborhoods with power this weekend, we hosted our small group gathering Friday night, and our neighborhood’s second annual cookie exchange on Sunday.
Amid all of the light and celebration we have known, the heaviness of this time of year is palpable. Combined with the seasonal darkness and a devastating news cycle, it is no wonder we cling to the comforts of twinkle lights, cocoa, and favorite movies. We know to move toward the light like houseplants on windowsills. But what is it that we are reaching for?
The answer, while not overtly Christmassy, has everything to do with the Incarnation.
We see in too many everyday interactions, a lack of regard for the dignity of every human person; the belief that every human being bears the image and likeness of God. While this is certainly a macro-level misunderstanding, it is more than that. We have lost touch with the core awareness of our deep belovedness, the intentionality with which we are made, and our resemblance to the Creator.
This is not a question of chicken and egg.
We cannot honor the dignity of others without first knowing who and whose we are. We should expect disregard for the human person from a group unfamiliar with basic human dignity. Conversely, operating in the world with a belief that we have value and worth infuses everything we do. It requires that we are bonded to everyone else, for whom the same is true.
To do this, we need to be made famililar–and regularly reminded–of the absolute mind-bending purposefulness and intimacy with which the God of the universe set our souls into motion. All souls. God delights in the simple reality that we are. Beginning in the first chapters of Genesis, after creating humanity, God names us good. Very good.
“Why have I never heard this before?”
A question from a woman who attended a retreat weekend this fall where I shared about the profound dignity of the human person. She didn’t speak for the group, but I was struck by her courage to name the elephant in the room. I knew she was not alone. Middle-aged, and actively engaged in her church, she was hearing these words in a new way, and maybe for the first time. Why?
The Christmas Connection
“Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” (O Holy Night)
The Advent scripture readings lead us directly to the heart of who we come to know in Jesus: Emmanuel, God With Us. Not only was humanity fashioned in the image and likeness of God from the beginning (Genesis), but through the Incarnation Jesus dignifies all of us who inhabit a body. The reality that the God of the universe would take on flesh, enter time, and share in our lived human experience for the sake of drawing near to us, should shock our sensibilities.
Is there any more sensory place to exist than a barn? Any setting more surprising for a King?
God’s decision to come as a baby, to experience our same tangible realities of joy, sadness, hunger, thirst, sweat, pain, love, friendship, (everything but sin) demonstrates utter humility. The implications are huge. That the Lord finds the human race a worthy vessel through which to adopt this humble posture is tremendous news for us!
To delve further into the Incarnation, I’m sharing a reflection for Blessed Is She, today: Christ is Born, What the Incarnation Means for us Today.