Incarnation season

       Advent has begun. It is a season of joy and hopefully a time centered on the incarnation of Christ. We will read passages from Scripture all season like we always do, perhaps centered on Mary, the lineage of Jesus and all leading to the birth of Jesus. He will be a fragile new human.  Are we familiar with just how small and fragile a newborn baby is? The vulnerability of Jesus , God/baby is something to behold and ponder. We speak of Jesus humanity but not often do we think of the vulnerability and fragility God exposed himself to. It is part of being human and God accepted it, warts and all so to speak.

       I think about God's willingness to take on humanity so willingly and what that alone tells us. The willing act of the incarnation. It speaks also to the preciousness of life and speaks to each one of us, to show us the divinity in our simple humanity. There is an essence there within us to be honored, accepted and loved. It is a season when we try to recognize that holiness in all of of as witnessed by the Christ child, the Christ-baby.

         When God made the decision that what the world needs now is a me or a you, that is the moment of conception. perhaps nine months later is our very own incarnation. What parts of us are a witness to our Godliness? Just our soul? What of our bodies and who we are as a person, does that witness too?  Being gay it seems is a special gift of God to our self and to everyone else too. We need to see that as an incarnation gift from God as much as anything else. It is not an 'action' of being gay that is witness, though our sexuality can be, it is view, a lens, an experience, a real gift to be graced being gay.

      In Advent, perhaps we can re-explore or re-discover the joy of our own incarnation as joyous as the incarnation of our creator and ultimate example of living. When we celebrate the birth of Christ, we should also celebrate the gift that he reveals to us in ourselves.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.