Christ Is Here
John 1: 1-14
“In the beginning was the Word… And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.”
We end Advent in the place we began. On day one we looked into an empty cradle and filled it with our hopes and prayers. Now Christ is born, but—at least for us who live thousands of years later—the cradle is empty again. And that is great good news. Christ will not be confined to a single infant boy. His life, death and resurrection will crown him the Lord of all life, past present and to come.
Unlike Luke’s particular Christmas story—the baby, the manger, the mother—John’s beginning story proclaims that Christ had no birth. “He was in the beginning with God.” When the eternal Christ took flesh, Jesus was born, yes, but the Christly crowning of Jesus only put cheeks and dimples and a wisp of hair on the eternal Word. This is what God looks like in flesh and bone. And the image you see here is the divine pattern you can see everywhere—in every created thing: spirit and matter as One. Separateness united; alienation overcome.
If all we have at Christmas is a baby adoration, we have missed the message. Which is something like—Look once and you see a babe in the manger, look twice and you see him everywhere. Jesus crawled out of that cradle, walked this earth, and told us we were all united to God in his body—and not just us, but the whole creation. Now it is, in St. Patrick’s song:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
That miracle of presence is possible because the cradle is empty.
Merry Christmas indeed.
Special thanks to my daughter, Maggy Keet, for the each day’s artwork.
And to Pam, my faithful editor, who also collaborated on the artwork.
Thank you for sharing so much grace and truth with us this Advent. What joy to be at the kitchen table with you. Please give Pam a hug – I made the 3 Many Cooks Union Square nuts and peppermint bark this weekend and of course was thinking of her. Wishing you and your family a most blessed Christmas. Here’s to the empty cradle!
Thanks, Lida–I will tell Pam what you’re cooking up–and Merry Christmas to all there!
The artwork has been beautiful, and I’ve been wondering all Advent who the artist was.
The words were a beautiful path to Bethlehem, David. Thank you.
The artwork was done with and AI program called Midjourney Bot. Maggy suggested it, and helped to get me started with it–the trick is to give it the right prompts. It often takes multiple, multiple iterations (I think today’s image took 20!), but to be able to create the image you see in your mind’s eye, instead of scouring the web for free images (obviously quite limited) is a real gift.
David, this advent adventure with you has truly been a gift. I know you were the chief architect and draftsman for the project but I suspect there were others who helped so I thank you and the others for this gift. May you be blessed this Christmas Day for the blessing you’ve been to your readers. Merry Christmas!
Yes, as I replied to Johnna, Maggy was the initial creator of the images, but then over the course of the month I learned to do it on my own.
The real collaborator I forgot to mention was Pam. I’ve added her to the credits!
Thank you David for taking us through Advent with your amazing images and words.
Christmas blessings to you and Pam!
Thanks, Cindy—and a wonderful Christmas to you and Dave.
I have completely enjoyed this walk through advent with the Andersons. Thank you all, for your gifts. Merry Christmas David, to you and your family.
Thanks for being on the journey, Gretchen—Merry Christmas!
David, thanks so much for this and all your Advent meditations. A true Christmas gift!
And the reference to St. Patrick’s song is perfect. When I see the words and sing the song, I am wrapping myself (in time and space) in Christ who is bound by neither. It’s an act of incarnation.
So thanks to you–and to Pam and Maggie, too! What a great collaboration!
Merry Christmas!
David,
These Advent messages have been wonderful. Thank you again.
Betty
Glad you were along for the journey!
Thanks David, Pam, and Maggie. It was a lovely series and much appreciate the thoughts and efforts. Merry Christmas and a healthy and joyous new year. Pattie & Roger
Thanks, Roger—and Christmas blessings to you and Pattie
David, Pam and Maggie,
Fred and I have read and reread these reflections daily. Many of them have been printed to keep and shared as well. Thank you for inviting us to your kitchen table.
That kind of faithful, intentional Advent preparation is wonderful to see in a couple—bless you!
Thank you, David, for this Advent series that has been a joy to read each morning. Meaningful, thought-provoking and full of wonder. What a gift to us this Christmas.
Dear David, I am overwhelmed by your insights and blessed indeed, to have you as my friend. Happy Christmas to you and all your family and a good new year Patrick.
Thank you, David, for these moving Advent meditations. What a wonderful and inspiring gift you bring each Advent. Merry Christmas to the Andersons!
Thanks for joining us on the Advent-ure, Brian. Enjoy the rest of the holiday with your wonderful family.
Thank You David, Pam & Maggie for making Advent more meaningful, more real & heartbreaking beautiful!!❤️🙏
Thanks for being in this Advent-ure!
Thank you for this Advent Journey David. Love to all the Andersons from Sally, now in California!
Nice to hear from you, Sally—I knew you had moved out to California. Hope your like living on the West Coast. Thanks for reading—
The Hope of Christmas
Christ is not born but neither does He die,
And yet He is reborn in everyone.
The rising and the birth are one in Him,
For it is in the advent of God’s Son
The light of resurrection is begun.
Heaven needs no nativity. And yet
The Son of Heaven needs the world to be
His birthplace, for the world is overcome
Because a Child is born. And it is He
Who brings God’s promise of eternity.
It is His birth that ends the dream of death,
For in Him death is brought to life. Behold
The earth made new and shining in the hope
Of love and pardon. Now God’s Arms enfold
The hearts that shivered in the winter’s cold.
~ Helen Schucman
https://coursesweb.net/forum/images/poems-gifts_from_god.pdf
“Heaven needs no nativity”—that’s a poetic way of saying in four words what I was trying to say!