Advent. Christmas. Epiphany. Lent. I sense I need a longer time to live with the reality of God coming to earth before thoughts start moving toward the cross. “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) If only carols could have echoed in our ears and hearts for a few more weeks, allowing us to dwell longer on the serene setting that the lyrics so often describe.
In the first recorded miracle of Jesus, saving a family’s embarrassment at the wedding they were hosting, we realize that the serene images we hold of the “word as flesh” conflict with the truth of what occurs when the powers of this world encounter God’s presence. There is a tension that develops. “He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.” (John 1:11)
At Christmas, we receive and begin to live with the reality that “a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6) And then the tension becomes obvious. This “child” calls us to follow a path of sacrifice. To walk the road he walked. “…if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
It is within this tension that we are formed as disciples. The coming of Christ and his death on the cross are inexplicably tied together to usher us into life…”in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5) We want the glow of Christmas to be what generates light in our lives, but it is the difficult road to the cross that allows us to become reflections of that light. May we live with the reality of both Jesus’ birth and death as we seek to be formed by the power of the cross and his resurrection.
