Holiday Perspectives

“The incarnation of the Son of God emphasizes the great dignity of
human nature, and reveals the value of every human being ….” Pope John Paul II

Advent is a season pregnant with what is to come. It allows us to participate in sacred history as we reflect on ancient truth and future hope. Christmas affords a time to prepare our hearts to receive again a baby who has already been born. A time to understand the four hundred year silence and anticipate the promised Savior. Advent prepares us to receive Christ anew into our lives, refreshing and restoring our faith.

Newcaster Paul Harvey told a story of a man who was synical about the Christmas story. One bitter Christmas eve the man’s family went to the local church to worship while he sat alone in front of a warm fireplace. The drapes on the picture window were open to reveal the tree lights inside. The man was startled by a crashing sound against the plate glass.

Going outside he found a little bird dead in the snow. Apparently the bird was attempting to fly in to the warm room and met his fate against the window. The man looked around at other birds shivering in the cold. He had an idea.

He opened the garage door so the birds could fly inside and be sheltered from the blustery, icy winds. He waited. The birds did not come in. He beaconed to them. They did not come. He sprinkled bird food from outside leading into the garage. Still, the birds did not come.

He thought, “If some how I could just become a bird for a few minutes, I would fly among them, chirp their language and then show them the garage is a safe haven.”

As the man was thinking these thoughts the Christmas bells chimed to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. He fell to his knees. “Dear God, now I understand. You spoke from heaven and the people thought it was thunder. You sent prophets and they still did not heed. You had to become man to show the way.”

The more I think of this story, the more real the incarnation becomes. If the man could have become a bird, he would have retained his human thinking, while being limited to the language and abilities of a bird. In like manner, Jesus incarnated as a human being, and while retaining his Godly knowledge and omniscience, lived on earth for thirty-three years with the limitations of humanity.

Religion is man’s reach for God. Christmas is God’s reach for man.

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