The Advent story itself, as given to us in Scripture does have a beauty all its own. What more beautiful reading is there in all of Scripture than the account in Luke 2:1-20? This beauty mirrors the beauty of the Son of God himself, in its majesty and simplicity. From this beauty we find beauty everywhere in the new humanity in Jesus found all over the earth.
Advent and beauty is about the story of God becoming human in Jesus. This means humanity's dignity and honor already given, is underscored and marked forever. There is nothing more important in this world than truly becoming more human together in Jesus. The together and in Jesus are each important since to be human is to be in true relation to God, to one's self, to others and to God's good creation- especially the earth. "In Jesus" we share in the radically relational God, in the Triune community and communion of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, insofar as humans can share in that communion. This begins now and is meant for all of us together, no one left behind. And thus we come to share in a beauty not of this world, but come to this world and for this world, in the Advent of Jesus.
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6 comments:
very well expressed and quite a joy to read.
well, time for me to hit the hay.
my eyes are getting very squinty.
:-)
Remember the words to that old chorus:
Lord, You are more precious than silver. Lord, You are more costly than gold. Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds, And nothing I desire compares to You.
Your post brought these words to mind - God became flesh, a man who walked among us. Yes, incredible beauty entered the world to begin to restore us, and eventually the world itself, to the beauty of perfection known from the beginning of time.
It is an amazing thing to think that God became man. To see what he sees, hear what he hears, experience what he experiences, feel what he feels. What dignity we have lies in the idea that we are made in His image. Yet, He became one of us, to know us and empathize. To redeem. To save. What beauty that is....
Nancy,
Thanks for your encouraging words. Pretty simple but that's the way most of the truth is- and profound which truth is as well.
Halfmom Susan,
Soon after I read your comment at work today, that song started playing in my head, and I think I tried to sing along with it. I love that song.
Amen to your words about the new creation. And I believe that this new creation will be a dimension (with both continuity and discontinuity with this dimension) just as the glorified Jesus differs from Adam and Eve pre-Fall.
Kim,
I think this is more important for us in our daily lives and existence than we realize. And by it we share in the very beauty of the Lord, by union with him in his humanity - and that we are in the God-man Jesus means we're in the same union he is in- of the Triune God. Where beauty comes from- and in ways we surely don't appreciate or know yet. I'm way over my head now and need to get back to the "mundane". I need to get some simple 2+2 spirituality down, or not much harder than that, to keep working on those things. Nice to try to get a glimpse into the beauty of the Lord.
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