The Mystery of the Incarnation

The contemporary Anglican theologian, Dr J.I. Packer has said, "Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is the truth of the incarnation." Let's think about that for a minute. The idea that the immortal and invisible God would become human and walk among us is quite amazing. That He would choose to do so by beginning life as we all do....as a child...is truly phenomenal. The fact that this is not fiction, but fact is the most amazing thing of all.

The lectionary for the Anglican 1928 Book of Common Prayer has two Gospel readings for the Eucharist on Christmas day. The first is John 1:1 and the second is Luke 2:1. The lectionary requires that the passage from St. John's Gospel be read and the Lucan account should be used if a second Eucharist is to be celebrated on the same day. You might ask, "Why not use just one account of Jesus' birth on Christmas day? Why not just use the passages from St. Luke with which we're all familiar?" Well, I really like the idea of combining both of these Gospel messages on Christmas day. In fact, I wish we could read them back-to-back. Both are talking about the same thing: the incarnation of Christ, but both approach it from different perspectives.

St. Luke gives us a wonderful story of the events of Jesus' birth, all the while reinforcing that he is the savior who has come to establish God's kingdom on earth. We're familiar with this story and really expect it to be read on Christmas. Like reading a novel, we become involved with Mary, Joseph, and all of the things that happen when Jesus is born. A child is born in Bethlehem of simple parents. He's announced by angels and all come to worship him, from the lowliest shepherd to wise men from the East. It establishes who Jesus is through a story that is very direct, fun to read, and easy to understand. Then there's the passage from St. John.

St. John is the mystic of the four Evangelists. While the other Gospel authors talk about Jesus and his ministry from a more experiential point of view, John emphasizes the spiritual fact of who Jesus is and what he's about.

St. John tells us the Word (Jesus) existed before all things, eternally with God. He tells us the Word was God and thereby makes the statement that Jesus Christ is both God and human. He tells us that Christ was a partner with the Father in the creation of everything that exists: "...all things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made." Therefore Jesus is God; the same God who created the universe. The is the incarnation of the Creator, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. he bears the light of God's truth. John says, "The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world." St. John says that no one has ever seen God, but the Son comes to make Him known: "No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made Him known."

The two Gospels are both saying the same thing, but in very different ways. St. Luke emphasizes Jesus a s the Savior who has come to redeem the world. St. John emphasizes the mystical/spiritual aspect of the incarnation and makes the statement that Jesus is God. Both are important in our understanding of the Christmas miracle.

The fact is that the incarnation of Christ is a miracle truly beyond our comprehension. We think we can understand it, but we really can't. How does God become flesh? How can Jesus be fully God and fully human with both of those two natures: perfectly God and perfectly man? how can any of this be possible? Asking these questions I think we sound a little bit like Mary at the Annunciation. The angel tells her she's going to bear a son and Mary says, "How is this possible? I have no husband!" Remember, at the time of the Annunciation, Mary and Joseph were betrothed, but not yet married, so for the angel to say such things was truly beyond belief to her. The angel tells her the Holy Spirit will come over her and she will conceive a son and will call him Jesus. Now comes one of the most important parts of the Annunciation: Mary accedes to the will of God. She makes no protests, asks no questions, she simply says: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." She has completely and totally submitted herself to the will of God. In doing this, she's the perfect example for us.

Like Jesus' Blessed Mother's experience at the Annunciation, the Christmas miracle presents us with something so amazing, so fantastic, that it's almost unbelievable. I agree with Dr. Packer that it's purely astounding. However, in the incarnation we have truth, not fiction. In the incarnation we have the beginning of the Easter miracle; the beginning of our salvation and our eternal life. Easter would not be possible without Christmas. The beautiful baby in the manger will become the Christ in agony on the cross. It is the child who ultimately sheds his blood that we might be saved. Only through the incarnation is the Eucharist possible where we take the body and blood of Christ so that "...we may dwell in him and he in us."

We Christians need to follow the example of Jesus' Blessed Mother who, upon hearing another fantastic story about how she will bear a child, accepts what the angel tells her and submits to the will of God. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Lord as human flesh. As a humble child who is our God. We can't explain it, but, like Mary at the Annunciation, we can accept and celebrate this wonderful mystery which starts us on the path to eternal life. Merry Christmas!!