Communion With the Christ:: Christmas: A Holy Contradiction

“'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2Cor:8:9

St. Paul wrote to the Christians in the Greek city of Corinth, and to Christians throughout the ages, about the Holy contradiction that the Great God, the one who is Lord over all things, the one who St. Paul tells us “was rich” “became poor” all for our benefit and salvation.

This Holy contradiction was not done out of some judicial necessity but completely out of God’s divine love for us, that is, for all humanity if they will but freely receive it.

At that time the Emperor Augustus had issued an Imperial proclamation regarding census and taxation requiring those who lived in Palestine would return to their ancestral homes to register and be counted for the tax census.

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.” Lk: 2:1-3

It is due to this Imperial proclamation that Joseph and Mary travel to their ancestral home the town of Bethlehem.

Into an Humble Estate

Our God has come to us in the humblest and lowliest of estates, in a stable, bedded in a manger which is the feeding trough of animals.

Our God has come to us this way showing us his identification with us all.

The Great God, the eternal Son of God the second person of the Holy Trinity stepped out of the glory of eternity and joined us here upon the Earth. Our Lord did this not out of necessity but rather out of love for each and all.

This is a Holy Contradiction, the highest come low as the words to an ancient creedal hymn sung in the early Church declared. And these divine lyrics are introduced by the posture of mind which Jesus displayed in the incarnation and that we are to emulate that of putting others first which is what Jesus has done for each and all.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philp: 2:5-8

Jesus descended into that place of humiliation in that stable in the city of Bethlehem.

It is likely that the Holy family of Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem after dark making it difficult to secure a guest room. All that could be found for the one who is deserving of the royal of accommodations was a place in a stable along with the livestock, a place which would have stank of dung, straw and animals, yet it is in such a place that our Lord came forth into the world.

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”Lk: 2:4-7

There were no royal swaddling clothes of silk or satin blankets to place him in, only old linen clothes to wrap about him which prefigured the burial shroud he would be wrapped in thirty-three years from this moment.

The Glory Revealed

The Glory of the incarnation was announced to some of the who were the least esteemed in the society of that day. Shepherds who were in the country side tending their sheep. This announcement was made through the agency of an angelic messenger who proclaimed it as a message to dispel theirs’s and all humanities fears.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (8-12)

This announcement was followed by the singing of the angelic host worshiping the great God.

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (13-14)

At the departure of the angels the shepherds seek out the Messiah which the angelic messages proclaimed to them finding him in Bethlehem with Joseph and Mary. Here in the stable some of the lowest of Earth meet the highest of Heaven. It is not great kings who have sought him out this Holy night so long ago but rather the outcast and the lowly who have received the divine announcement delivered through the angel who have come.

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (15)

Having encountered their Messiah, the shepherds are compelled to tell others about his coming. His coming which should have been announced by Royal heralds receives rather the lowly voice of the lowly shepherds.

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Lk: 2:16-19

The Holy Contradiction

Jesus, the one who came that night two thousand years ago, disrobed himself for a time of the glory of his divinity, yet still retaining that divinity to its fullest extent, and took up the ragged mantle of our humanity, all for us that we might come to know our God and see his glory.

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world.” John: 17:1b-6b

Jesus Exulted

Jesus the one who has come to us, none higher has come lower, even to the point of humiliating death only to be lifted high once again. Again, the words of the ancient Church hymn speak of this very truth.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. Philp:2:9-11

Our Lord Jesus condescended to our low estate all for us, not out of judicial necessity but only out of love, the rich became poor for us that we might share in his riches. St. Paul wrote of this very Holy contradiction.

“'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2Cor:8:9

The one who held and possessed all riches and glorious power, the one who should have been received by the Royalty and the great of the Earth and who was worthy of the highest worship and adoration came in the lowliest and humblest of places on that Holy night long ago as we reckon time, all so that we might be made rich in him. This is the Holy Contradiction of Christmas.

Benediction: May we each and all ever bow our knees before that one who became poor so that we might become rich, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.