Today Christ is born, today our Saviour has appeared. These simple words mark the fulfilment of a promise made by God during the earliest days of mankind. If, by man's wilful rejection of God, the intimacy between the Creator and mankind was hindered, divine mercy would decree that God Himself, taking upon himself the nature of man, appear for our redemption.

Today, when the commercial comes first, it is difficult to understand that, for those of the Middle Ages, such a time as Christmas was a holiday in the true sense. The Child Jesus, and the tribulations His family endured at the time of His birth, were foremost in their minds. Of course, and this we too often forget as well, merry making was also a part of their celebration. We have lost both the essence and the joyful accidentals of Christmas tide.

Francis of Assisi was unique, in an age where theological orthodoxy was the emphasis amongst the hierarchy, in his emphasis on the human nature of Jesus. For our loving Francis, the birth of the "Babe of Bethlehem" was the ultimate model of virtue. The greatness of God was hidden beneath the humility of a poor family, a King of Kings born with no fanfare and adored by few, a life fraught with difficulties from the earliest days. The greatest miracle, our capacity for total union with God, would come forth from this child - yet his circumstances of life could remind us that our own struggles can never be beyond those which He Himself endured.

Recall that, during the Middle Ages, constant struggle and pain was accepted as a part of every life. The joyous remembrance of the long awaited appearance of a Saviour, for which mankind had hoped since the times of Adam, had a special significance. Though, indeed, tribulation is a part of the human condition, today we tend to have a notion that some earthly achievement or satisfaction can eliminate this (and so we search in vain!). But our medieval friends had a keen awareness of God, and, if today was trying, somehow divine providence worked through our situation. In the end, we would be united with Him in perfect joy.

Believing that God worked closely through His creatures (indeed, the truly saintly, as many a medieval miracle story would show, tended to meet Him quite openly, often when least expected), there was a special aspect of the idea of His Incarnation. When Jesus was born, a mysterious star heralded His arrival, but, otherwise, the world was unaware. There was no glory in His beginnings, no recognition of the immense change in the world that would result from this occurrence.

Christmas is a time of special joy, and these reflections may not fit the norm of that term at first glance. Nonetheless, since all of us are dealing with problems to some degree, it will do us well to recall that joy does not have to mean the emotional elation which we may not be feeling at the moment! Joy is not necessarily the sort that children find when they receive the present that danced through their heads with the sugarplums! It is security in being loved, hope for total and perfect happiness, a simple awareness that God created us out of love.

Yet there is more to this than we recall. The Incarnation - the Logos, Second Person of the Trnity, taking upon Himself our human nature, glorifies us in Him.  Through Him, our human nature is more closely united to God - we have a promise of deification. By nature, we shall never be gods, of course, but, in holiness, we are God's image.

God fulfils all of His promises, and in a measure beyond that which our human minds can comprehend. But often He does so quietly - as he did in a stable at Bethlehem.

The offerings of the Eastern kings of old
Unto Our Lord were incense, myrrh and gold;
Incense because a God; gold as a king:
And myrrh as to a dying man they bring.
Instead of incense, Blessed Lord, if we
Can send a sigh or fervent prayer to thee:
Instead of myrrh if we can but provide
Tears that from penitential eyes do slide.
And though we have no gold, if for our part
We can present thee with a loving heart
Thou wilt accept: and say those Eastern kings
Did not present thee with more precious things.
Nathaniel Wanley

"A Little Litany" by G. K. Chesterton

When God turned back eternity and was young,
Ancient of Days, grown little for your mirth,
As under the low arch the land is bright.
Peered through you, gate of heaven - and saw the earth.

Or shutting out His shining skies awhile
Built you about Him for a house of gold
To see in pictured walls his storied world
Return upon him as a tale is told.

Or found his mirror there; the only glass
That would not break with that unbearable light
Till in a corner of the high dark house
God looked on God, as ghosts meet in the night.

Star of his morning; that unfallen star
In the strange starry overturn of space
When earth and sky changed places for an hour
And heaven looked upwards in a human face.

Or young on your strong knees and lifted up
Wisdom cried out, whose voice is in the street
And more than twilight of twiformed cherubim
Made of his throne indeed a mercy seat.

Or risen from play at your pale raiment's hem
God, grown adventurous from all time's repose
Of your tall body climbed the ivory tower
And kissed upon your lips a mystic rose.
 

The Sussex Carol

On Christmas night, all Christians sing,
To hear the news the angels bring-
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King's birth.

Then why should men on earth be sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad,
When from our sin He set us free,
All for to gain our liberty?

When sin departs before His grace,
Then life and health come in its place;
Angels and men with joy may sing.
All for to see the new-born King.

All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night;
'Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and for evermore. Amen'

May this Christmas be a fresh coming of the Lord Jesus into our lives. And, for my "cyberfriends" who are not Christians, the warmest of holiday greetings nonetheless - for I am sure that no one would deny that God is Love.

May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May He preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Buon Natale!

Webmistress/Author: Elizabeth G. Melillo, PhD

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