Further Thoughts on Incarnation

Looking back at my Advent reflections, I notice that I didn’t spend as much time as I’d intended “fleshing out” (pun intended?) the ramifications of Christian practice centered on the Incarnation, and beyond that and more importantly, how incarnational thinking plays out in the practical concerns of daily life. I’ll attempt to do so now.

Not only is the Incarnation of Jesus Christ the vehicle through which the promise of salvation and the hope of resurrection become possible; it also represents God’s intention to redeem all aspects of life, the physical as well as the metaphysical. And this is not some future happening, delayed indefinitely until the new heaven and the new earth arrive. The Incarnation is now, it is the proclamation to the shepherds, “Peace to those on whom God’s favor rests.” Christ tells us that God’s favor rests with all. This is the elusive good news that the church has been given.

So, what are the implications? If, through incarnation, God has reclaimed the physical reality of nature, then Paul’s statement that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit carries new weight. It’s not just about taking care of our bodies; it’s a powerful reminder that divinity has worn humanity, has made its dwelling in our very midst as one of us, and will do so again. Our bodies are temples because can again feel the presence of God through the Holy Spirit in a way previously only available to our earliest ancestors. The Nativity made this possible.

I was reminded, while spending Christmas Day with my family, the simple power of being in the presence of parents, of those directly responsible for my existence. I have a good relationship with my parents, but I think I understand the anguish of those who don’t. And my fellowship with my parents is magnified by our common hope in Christ. We often don’t see eye to eye on specific matters of living out that hope, but we don’t deny that connection. It’s part of who we are as a family, my brother included. They’re the reason I don’t become bitter at the holidays, and their guidance is responsible for my commitment to live as a disciple of Jesus, and to encourage my own family now to do the same. And, whether they see this as a good thing or not (although I think they probably do), they’re also the main reason I’ve remained as open-minded to ideas old and new about what it means to be part of the world’s most dysfunctional family, the church. Whenever I can, I thank them for shaping me as best they can into a mature follower of Christ. I hope that this post serves that purpose as well.

Happy fourth day of Christmas, almost fifth. Enjoy your calling birds and golden rings…

Advent and Christmas: Repentance and Joy

Well, I didn't get these out weekly, as I'd hoped, but at least I'm semi-regular on here again. What follows is a brief meditation from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington's online Advent Calendar, and then my own reflections on the rest of Advent and Christmas.

"When I say my prayers now, I no longer ask for God to be present. I take that presence for granted. Jesus promised us that his Advocate would remain with us, and I believe his words. The more I count on that presence, the more that I feel it anchoring my entire life.

Perhaps the greatest theologians of our day are quantum physicists. As they uncover new dimensions in time and space, the mysteries of the Divine seem more possible, more real. It may be that God indeed exists in a dimension that is far beyond our understanding. It may be that God is with us on levels far beyond our understanding.
But we still want to see Jesus. We want to touch him, to see him smile. And that is why we wait. We wait to experience Christ with us physically, as Jesus once was. I find that the more I acknowledge my hunger for Christ's bodily presence with me, the more I realize my love for God.

The reunion between Christ and his Church will be one to behold. I myself can't wait to see it."

- From Between Two Worlds: Daily Readings for Advent by Kate Moorehead (Cowley Publications, 2003).

The scripture readings for Advent continue in their intensity, and I’m finally buying into the whole idea of Advent as a penitential season, second in solemnity only to Lent. Isaiah’s prophecies of Emmanuel and Bethlehem and those walking in darkness seeing a great light are present, and give hope as intended, but even these are smack dab in the middle of passages of searing judgment and apocalyptic fury. Last Sunday, Advent III, was the Sunday of Joy, or Rose Sunday, and it provided some relief with readings from Philippians and my favorite prophetic reading, Zephaniah 3:12-20. But then there was the Gospel reading, and John the Baptist asking the “brood of vipers” who had warned them to flee the coming judgment. The Baptist remains central throughout Advent, ranting and raving and preaching a defiant message of repentance.

Why is repentance so vital to Christmas? At Easter, and during Lent, it seems to make more sense to place such an emphasis on penitence. But why Christmas? Isn’t Christmas the feast of the Nativity, when we commemorate incarnation, God coming among us? Isn’t it when we sing warm, joyful songs to “little Lord Baby Jesus, learnin’ your shapes and colors,” as Ricky Bobby would put it? Isn’t it a time to go home, to be with family, to celebrate God’s continued presence in our midst? Of course it is, and for all this penitence is absolutely vital. It’s not a time to beat ourselves up over sin and shortcoming, but it is a time to acknowledge our failure to love and be loved perfectly. That’s what John the Baptist railed against, by the way. He knew that for God’s Kingdom to break through, the human kingdom of Israel, and by extension, the occupying Roman Empire, had to learn to live lives of love in keeping with repentance. John’s message was ultimately rejected, of course, but one came after him. This One put an authentic love-filled life on display for all to see. He was rejected by his people as well, but being God, he accomplished his purpose anyway and promised to return.

Now, especially during Advent, those of us who wear his name await his coming, both the first and final coming, living already in his “now and not yet” kingdom. Isaiah tells us, “For all this, his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.” Someday, all will understand that God’s anger doesn’t burn against individual hedonists or heretics, but against entire communities and nations who have no love for their fellow image-bearers. The difficult message of Advent is that true joy and peace can be ours, but that God remains angry and heartbroken over his children’s wars with and neglect of each other. He has come among us, he has seen our divisive brokenness firsthand, and in love he prolongs his delay in returning, giving us every chance to repent and live in newness of life.

Please enjoy your Christmas; I know I will. God has gifted me with a wonderful family and amazing friends, and I love you all.

May the blessings of God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with us now as we celebrate the new life possible through Christ and await his coming, now and always.

Amen.

For Now...

My heart is really unsastisfied with church stuff right now. It may stem from the life situation in general; but I'm as happy with God as I've ever been. I just wish his bride would straighten up and fly right.

Anyway, this is really a placeholder for my next Advent meditation, which I hope to have up this weekend. Until then, an Advent hymn:

Of the Parent's heart begotten
when the worlds were yet to be,
One there was with no beginning,
one who is eternally
Source and Ending of all things that have been,
and all things that are to be,
forever and forever.

By this Word was all created,
by this word were all things done:
Land and air and deepest ocean,
harmony of three in one,
And all growing in the luminance
shed forth from the moon and sun,
forever and forever.

Blessed dawning of salvation
as the Word is breathed in grace
Into earthly flesh receiving
God incarnate taking place;
Now the light of God revealed
through the Child of human face,
forever and forever.

Now behold the One whom prophets
have foretold for ages long
On the faithful page of scripture,
seers and sages in their song;
Now the Promised One shines forth!
Let all earth its praise prolong
forever and forever.

- Divinum mysterium, 11th Cent.

Advent: The Incarnation as Eschatology?

So, I guess it's time for my monthly post. I hope this pattern doesn't continue, but such are the days for me now. I am, at the least, going to try for weekly thoughts during this season of Advent.

As I did with Lent last year (church calendar-wise, earlier in 2006), I'm trying to really take Advent seriously as a devotional exercise this year. The season (and the new church year) officially began yesterday, anda good portion of the readings for this week are primarily prophetic (Isaiah and Jeremiah) of the coming of Christ, or at least of Israel's need for Messiah. That's to be expected, of course, but there's also a heavy emphasis (particularly in the New Testament readings) on Christ's second coming. In fact, the gospel readings come from Luke 20, focusing on Jesus' final teachings in the Temple before Passion Week. Here, Jesus begins to address issues of his authority, and begins to prepare for the task at hand.

Why these passages from towards the end of his ministry, here at the beginning of the season when we begin to anticipate Christ's birth? I'm starting to reflect on this, so these will be sketchy observations at best, but I am struck by the juxtaposition of incarnation (the idea central to Christian thought of God becoming human) and eschatology (the doctrine of last things, specifically the idea that Christ will return to set things right at some unknown point in time). I'm not sure why I haven't considered the obvious link between these concepts until now, but it seems the best way to introduce and frame this season of reflection. In all the haste to decipher the more esoteric, apocalyptic visions of the end contained in scripture, it appears that many miss the point. I certainly have, even in my zeal to expose the "bad theology" of things like the Rapture Theory and the Left Behind books. I still believe that such thinking is dangerous at best, but I waste so much energy declaring the things I'm NOT as a Christ-follower that I end up being just as dogmatic as those I seek to correct.

By placing eschatological thinking front and center during advent, I am confronted with the thought that the "end times" actually began at the Nativity, with the Incarnation. God's kingdom has already come among us, but is also coming again. It's the paradoxical idea of "now and not yet", which is a central concept to an eschatology less concerned with geo-political developments and the rise of the anti-Christ, and more concerned with the immediate business of acting as agents of redemption in the world we live in NOW.

The Incarnation tends to get short shrift in evangelical circles, even within the fairly moderate context in which I was educated. The events of the Passion and the Resurrection are viewed as the events which changed human history, but the Incarnation is what made such grace possible, isn't it? Without even getting into thorny matters like Immaculate Conception and Virgin Birth, Anglicanism has provided me with a fresh outlook on Advent. It's not just waiting around for Christmas and lighting a few more candles than usual, like it was when I was younger. It's a time to consider exactly what God coming among us means. I used to place the beginning of the end at Pentecost, with the coming of the church. But despite whatever grace is given to her, the church is still a human institution. God intervened, and changed history, beginning at the manger and culminating with the empty tomb. It does not fall to us to worry about the last things, only to accept that we've been living with them for at least a couple millennia now. So, may Advent be a time to reflect on these and many other things, but may it also be a time to act as if such things matter, a season of love.

Next week focuses on John the Baptist and the coming of the kingdom, so that should build nicely on what this week has started. I'll bet that I'm led to think of the kingdom of God a lot differently than the Rick Warrens and James Dobsons of the world. We'll see...