Day 30—Monday, December 29

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Galatians 4:4-7

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

When I was young, my family nativity scene consisted of three figurines: Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus in a hay-filled basket. It was likely there were shepherds, wise men and animals at one point, but over the years only three pieces had remained. Each Christmas season, the nativity set was placed on our living room coffee table, with Joseph on one side of Jesus and Mary on the other. Jesus looked peaceful and cozy wrapped in a blanket.

Bruce Manwaring’s painting “Universe in her Womb” brings a new reality to Jesus’ birth — a true-to-life image of baby Jesus in the womb — seemingly just before his birth. It had been nine costly months of required patience, wonder, and travail when birth pains set in for young Mary — the signal that she was soon to meet her son, the Son of God. And when “the fullness of time had come,” Jesus was born. How unexpected and anomalous for God to come to earth like any other human: through labor.  

When I think of baby Jesus, my mind tends to skip over Mary’s pregnancy and labor as I imagine that baby from my nativity set - cozy and content in his manger. By doing this I miss the significance of how Jesus came to be on this earth and the implications of His humanity.

His birth was not brilliant or perfect. In fact, Jesus was born into poverty by today’s standards. His birth, however, marked the culmination of Mary’s laborious and difficult pregnancy, new life for Jesus and, ultimately, for each of us. The joy and wonder of Christ’s birth is both eternal and earthly.

The holy impact of God descending onto earth through His son (being born of a woman) miraculously demonstrates His everlasting love for us. He met us where we were. He used the lowly, meek and poor. He used us, mere humans, to accomplish His work.

Mary’s pregnancy validates each of our normal and everyday lives, and Jesus’ birth epitomizes our adoption as sons and daughters of God. Through Christ’s birth, we are free from the law and enslavement to sin. We are free to live and walk in full, unadulterated love.

It’s five days post Christmas; it’s easy for the miracle of Christ’s birth to quickly fade. We press play on errands and work that were placed on pause prior to Christmas, and we look forward to celebrating the New Year. But the story of God in flesh has just started. The story of God in each of our lives for the new year has just begun.

May the wonder of Christmas and miraculous birth of Christ continue to reign in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls to transform how we live each day of our lives. May we learn to walk as sons and daughters of Christ, fully accepted and loved.

At Communion
Madeleine L’Engle

Whether I kneel or stand or sit in prayer
I am not caught in time nor held in space,
But, thrust beyond this posture, I am where
Time and eternity are face to face;
Infinity and space meet in this place
Where crossbar and upright hold the One
In agony and in all Love’s embrace.
The power in helplessness which was begun
When all the brilliance of the flaming sun
Contained itself in the small confines of a child
Now comes to me in this strange action done
In mystery. Break time, break space, O wild
and lovely power. Break me: thus I am dead,
Am resurrected now in wine and bread.

Jenna Bartlo, University Communications and Marketing