..or is He?

By s&ra

Texas

I
think it's safe to say that our society has successfully stifled the true Spirit of the Christmas season.

We are truly privileged to be members of a Body who calls the celebration of the birth of the King of kings the "Nativity Feast." Nativity actually means "birth - especially the place, conditions or circumstances of being born." Fitting, yes? It's no accident that our Mother the Church uses the word "nativity" to describe the feast. So what are we to gain from this bit of information?

During this time, let us keep our mind's eye focused on the circumstances of His birth: a King - the King - born in a manger, around animals, in the womb of a young, virgin girl, taking on human flesh. Every single one of these circumstances point to the defining character of each of the Persons of the Holy Trinity: humility. And if you think of it, humility is easily synonymous with Love: humility is required in order to both love and be loved. It is living in a paradigm of thinking of another, moving outside of focus-on-self.

Furthermore, this characteristic (humility) is what makes the Holy Trinity who they/He is and is the image we are to reflect as His kids.

But going back to the nativity - the circumstances of Christ's birth - we see that this point in time was the beginning of the physical fulfillment of His plan to bring us (we and Him) back together. And what's more, it wasn't enough for Him to just be amongst us again. No, this time His plan was to be as close to us as He possibly could: inside of us.

And think about this: what is the consummation of marriage? the climax, the crescendo? It's when the two flesh become one, both in body and spirit. The Creator did not design marriage this way on accident, my friends. Marriage between two little humans is but a mere mortal painting of what God desires with each of us and within marriage, too (because when man, woman and God unite together, that forms another little trinitarian relationship!) So beautiful. Anyway, I digress..

With that, a question still remains: why? Why go through all that trouble (the animals, the young girl, the birthing process, the whole leaving the heavenly realm for...earth)? Wait, and who am I, anyway, for God to accept my being - mind, body and soul (which He calls a temple?!)  - as His dwelling place? What does He gain from me for doing that? Nothing. But that's what makes Love the beauty that it is. That's what true Love is, ladies and gentlemen.

The video below really brings it home for me and illustrates a great example of how Christ desires true intimacy with each of us individually and in a community setting: 

I hope this helps us remember God's eternal desire to be intimate with us. That is the whole point of Him creating us. And it started with the seed of the Holy Spirit being planted deep inside Mary's womb. He dwelled inside of her to eventually dwell inside each and every one of us.

That is all He wants. And that's all we should be seeking in return, both in this season and out.

paz y la verdadera amistad,
s&ra