the lessons of Christmas

Well, ever since boldly declaring that I was going to write about how we ponder the lessons of Christmas during Ordinary Time, I've had a conversation that goes something like this running around in my head:

"The lessons of Christmas, yes. The lessons of Christmas. Huh. I'm sure there must be some."
"You have to write about them!"
"Yes. Yes, and knowing what they were would help a lot with that."
"C'mon! It's Christmas! You've celebrated it since you were born!"
"Yep."
"Nngh!"

The truth is that what stood out most about Christmas for me this year was the little physical things, and not the great spiritual truths. It was doing something every day for Advent with my daughter that was new and different. So there was lots of playing with Nativity sets, lots of "yes, that's Mary, she's Jesus' mommy" and not a lot of contemplation of Mary being Jesus' mother, that is, of God being born as a human, that is, of the Incarnation.

But Mary thought about it. She pondered it. She treasured it in her heart. And she's the one who had to feed and diaper the Incarnation every few hours! (to borrow Meredith Gould's wonderful phrasing)

How tired she must have been. Because her mothering was real mothering (as Jesus was true man), even though it was mothering the Lord Almighty (as Jesus was true God). Here's a collect from the BCP on the subject:

O God, who didst wonderfully create, and yet more wonderfully restore, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share in the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, thy Son Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


So, Lord, may what you truly assumed be truly healed: our humanity. Even my own. Even in the little things, the physical things, that I do with my kids. May I really learn what I teach my children about you. May I understand "Jesus loves me, this I know" with all of my heart and mind and soul and strength. May I ponder your Incarnation, may I treasure the truth of it in my heart. To your glory. Amen.



peace of Christ to you,
Jessica