“And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14
God is so amazing. He will not be outdone in faithfulness or generosity. We’ve been praying this Advent for God to come to us: “Come, Lord Jesus!” He always fills our true needs, and He often does that in surprising ways. Think about how truly surprising it is that God the Father sent His only Son, completely God Himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit to save us. He came down to our level to save us because of His great love for us.
God could have saved us however He wanted to. But God, the Father of all creation, decided the best way for mankind to return to Him was to send His Son to take on our lowly human nature and die for us. He traded His glory for our poverty so that we might have a share in His glory: “…that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The God of might and majesty became a tiny speck in Mary’s womb for us. Justice Himself was obedient to His human parents. The power of God learned to walk. The eternal Word learned to speak.
Christmas will arrive tomorrow, and on this day we recall how Jesus, the Word made into human flesh, condescended to save us. He came down from heaven as the Christ child. And He comes to us still: in the sacraments of the Church, in our relationships, in quiet prayer, and through scripture: the very Word of God. At Holy Mass, we witness, worship, and adore as the Son of God again becomes flesh in order to feed us in the Eucharist. We sing as He is given to each person and received in love. We pray as the Blessed Sacrament, the Word made flesh, returns to the tabernacle to dwell with us perpetually.
Jesus, how can I thank you for coming to us over and over again so we can encounter Your love and mercy. As I encounter You in the Eucharist, bless me Your life and light so I can bring Your presence to others. Amen.