The Advent season is surely a time when,even if we are preoccupied with shopping and getting together with friends, we should take time to contemplate exactly what will happen on Christmas Day and what it means. +Gregory Nazianzen the Elder reminds us of how to properly celebrate the Incarnation the central event of human history.
+Symeon the New Theologian explains the purpose this way:
"The purpose of the incarnate economy of God the Word, which is proclaimed by all the divine scriptures and which we read but do not understand, is surely summed up by saying that He has shared in what was ours to let us share in what was His. The Son of God became the Son of Man in order to make us men the sons of God. By grace He lifts up our race to what He is by nature. He gives birth to us from on high in the Holy Spirit, and then straightway leads us into the kingdom of heaven; or rather, He gives us the grace to have this kingdom within us. We therefore have more than just the hope of entering here; we really possess it as we cry out: 'Our life is hidden with Christ in God'."
Perhaps you can answer a rather perverse question that occurred to me today.
I was thinking about Nungesser and Cole, the French aviators who tried to cross the Atlantic before Lindbergh. They vanished in the North Atlantic. I wondered if they carried a revolver in event of failure. Better a bullet to the head than waiting to die of exposure in the icy waters. But then I wondered, isn't that euthanasia ? Is it ?
The Fulness of the Godhead Came in the Fulness of Time
from a sermon by Bernard of Clairvaux,12th century
‘The kindness and humanity of God our Savior appeared’. Thanks be to God, through whom our consolation overflows in this pilgrimage, in this exile, in this distress.
Before his humanity appeared , his kindness lay concealed. The latter indeed existed first, because the mercy of the Lord is from eternity. But how could men know it was so great? It was promised indeed, but not yet experienced: hence many did not believe in it. ‘The Lord’ indeed ‘spoke in fragmentary and varied fashion through the prophets’ saying ‘I know the thoughts that I think towards you, thoughts of peace and not of affliction’.
But what reply did man make, man who felt the affliction, and knew nothing of peace? How long will you keep saying, ‘Peace, peace, when there is no peace?’ Therefore, ‘the angels of peace were weeping bitterly’ saying ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’ But now let men believe at least their own sight, because ‘the testimonies of God are become exceedingly credible’. ‘He has set his tabernacle in the sun’, so that it cannot escape even an eye that is troubled.
Behold, peace no longer promised, but conferred; no longer delayed, but given; no longer predicted, but bestowed, Behold, God the Father has sent down to earth as it were a bag filled with his mercy; a bag to be rent open in the passion so that our ransom which it concealed might be poured out; a small bag indeed, but full. It is indeed a small child who is given to us, but in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead.
After the fulness of time had come, there came too the fulness of the Godhead. He came in the flesh, so that at least he might make himself manifest to our earthly minds, so that when this humanity of his appeared, his kindness might also be acknowledged. Where the humanity of God appears, his kindness can no longer be hidden. In what way, indeed, could he have better commended his kindness than by assuming my flesh? My flesh, that is, not Adam’s, as it was before the fall.
What greater proof could he have given of his mercy than by taking upon himself that which needed mercy? Where is there such fulness of loving-kindness as in the fact that the Word of God became perishable like the grass for our sakes? ‘Lord, what is man, that you make much of him or pay him any heed?’
Let man infer from this how much God cares for him. Let him know from this what God thinks of him, what he feels about him. Man, do not ask about your own sufferings; but about what he suffered. Learn from what he was made for you, how much he makes of you, so that his kindness may show itself to you from his humanity.
The lesser he has made himself in his humanity, the greater has he shown himself in kindness. The more he humbles himself on my account, the more powerfully he engages my love. ‘The kindness and humanity of God our Savior appeared’ says the Apostle. The humanity of God shows the greatness of his kindness, and he who added humanity to the name of God gave great proof of this kindness.