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TODAY’S ADVENT CALENDAR reminds us that Jesus was really born - and “born” might well be one of the most powerful, startling, shattering realities of all.
This post is excerpted from Freeing Jesus.
Window 20
Bodies are messy. Birth is messy. Unpredictable, dangerous even. You can pretty it up by talking about a virgin birth, thereby undermining both Mary’s sexuality and the real physical pain of bringing a baby into the world. But the truth of the matter is that Mary was a real woman, and Jesus a real baby who grew to be a real man; both were flesh and blood, both had real bodies. A woman’s body was torn open by a baby forcing its way into the world, a hungry, crying, and helpless infant body to feed, wash, and warm.
Eventually, the mystery of God’s glory runs smack into the muck of human bodies; the divine Word became flesh from the same dust and spittle that made us all. Mary’s body brought forth the tiny body of God; her water breaking and the bloody birth made possible the water and blood of the cross some thirty years later. “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” We emphasize “Savior,” “Messiah,” and “Lord,” but forget the most amazing word in the angelic proclamation: “born.”
From Freeing Jesus
THE RISK OF BIRTH
Madeleine L’Engle
This is no time for a child to be born,
With the earth betrayed by war & hate
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out & the sun burns late.
That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honor & truth were trampled to scorn—
Yet here did the Savior make His home.
When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn—
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.
The greatest moments in our lives occur when we surrender: birth, love, and death.
― Kamand Kojouri
Christ by highest Heaven ador’d,
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Hark! the herald Angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King.
— Charles Wesley
The perfect poem for me today(even though I'm a couple of days behind).
Why is there such a importance placed about the 'blood' of Jesus on the cross but almost nothing about 'blood' during the birthing of Jesus?