Thursday 19 December - He made Himself nothing

Readings

Psalm 27, Lamentations 3:25-26, John 1: 1-14 and Philippians 2:1-11

In your relationships with one another, have the same mind-set 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! 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.

Philippians 2:1-11    

Reflection

"When peaceful silence lay over all, and night had run half of her swift course, your all-powerful word, O Lord, leaped down from Heaven, from the royal throne." (Wisdom Chapter 18).

It is when the rush is over, 'the busy world is hushed' as Newman put it, that the awesome silence of the Godhead descends upon our earth.  How we forget this. We  forge ahead with a sheer determination to remember the season yet neglect our souls as the  “safe lodging of God’s mercy”. Beautiful words written by the Blessed John Henry Newman and here we have a point of intersection with only the breath of two animals (though last year at sticky crib the children did feel there may have been many more animals including a squirrel!) to warm the bitterly cold night. We experience in the silence of the night collision of eternity with our world—in this place the meeting of God and man.   In this intersection which we call incarnation we find the opening of endless possibilities. The incarnate king and begotten Son choosing to make His home with us enables a broken world to respond. How will it? In humility? In joyful obedience? In submission? In awe and wonder?

Prayer 

Thank you, Lord, for knowing me better than I know myself, and for letting me know myself better than others know me. Help me to grow in grace, faith and discipleship.

Holy God I consider the things of my life that I keep hidden from others. Show me how I may lay down the obstacles of life that prevent me from drawing closer to you.

Incarnate God as your word collides with mine help my world collide with others that I may be reconciled with the reality of other people’s joys and sorrows. 

Teach me how to live and love for you Holy God. Amen