+JMJ
Dear Parishioners,
Why all the excitement about God becoming “incarnate”? Well, because God for the first time in all of history becomes tangible in a way He had never been before. “Incarnate” means “in-the-flesh.” God comes to us in-the-flesh, so humanity is able to sense him in a way like never before. So St. John writes in his first letter:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life — the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us — that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-3).
Hearing, seeing, touching: all words that have to do with our senses. God wanted us to sense Him in a way more tangible than ever before. So in the person of Jesus Christ, humanity was hearing, seeing and touching God Himself. Jesus Christ – God Incarnate – walked this earth for about 33 years and amazingly transformed many of the people he encountered. This included especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and the Apostles. And after Jesus’ death, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles and other disciples continued to speak about Him, and even wrote about Him; out of which came our New Testament part of the Bible.
Through the Tradition of the Church, which hands the Bible to us down through the centuries, you and I now get to hear, see and touch Jesus, because of the writings of those who actually walked side-by-side with Him. And because of the very tangible practices and teachings handed on along with the Bible. Now much of that seeing, hearing and touch happens for us through the Sacraments; as well as through our spiritual senses in prayer.
In this new year, may we be a means by which others experience God Incarnate in their lives. Our transformed lives are to be a way by which God begins to be Incarnate in the lives of those around us, tangible to those around us, who otherwise might not be seeking to see, hear or touch God. May our lives become all-the-more full of the sense of God, the awareness of God through this Christmas season and the new year!
A Blessed Christmas to you!
In cordibus Iesu, Mariae et Iosephus,
Father Poggemeyer