16/12/2022
We focus on the cross as the salvific measure of Christ's life, that his death atones and saves us... But it's the incarnation that actually is the salvific measure... That embodiment of Christ made flesh in a tiny new born baby, the re-imagining of that first act of human creation - the very visible image of God made flesh and dwelling with us, in us, as us. Without that there is no moment at the cross, without that act of divine love made human, without that first cry of new born breath uttered into the world there is no 'it is done', no call to follow, no summons to join, no beatitudes, no reminder that the kingdom is within, that love is the way, or reminder that there is another way that asks only for love and relationship, and in the end no final sacrifice or rising from the tomb if there is nit first that Incarnation, that embodiment, that salvific moment of life. Salvation is not in the death but in the birth... The tomb was beaten the moment new life began, and we forget that too often and too much. Salvation is in the life not the death, the giving not the losing, the resurrection is that reminder and not so much the pointer to the cross we see it as all too often, but is instead the pointer to the embodiment within the dark enclosed tomb like womb, and the coming into the light and life that is the birth, the cross then instead becomes not the salvation in itself but instead the reminder of the sacrifice, the blood and the pain that love, in all its raw birthing pang and glory, may be; the sacrifice of self that is that moment of living creation, that breath and first utterance that claims it is good and it is done in equal measure... And in that moment is the greatest love that risks all for the other.
The whole of creation from the first moment over the waters, from the first utterance made, from the first light and first person rebirthed in a moment of utter new born salvation and cosmic crescendo - a new human, a new (adam~a) earth, begins in that moment, salvation has come now when God is again with us on this earth, in this garden again as had not been for oh so long... Salvation is not in the death but in the life as it goes on from that very moment! This cosmic recreation of Genesis, the return to life that is salvation, and though we celebrate Christmas we miss this amazing story that is the very set up for Easter but not in the way we so often know it... And in so doing from then on we misread the truth of life, the revelation and the mystery, the equality and equity, the very cosmic and creative act of love that is embodied here with us and has saved us all.
Emmanuel has come, we are born again and saved in that very first moment of yes to life and in the very firstborn of all creation! How beautiful is the story, how wonderful the life, and how much more is this season of light in the dark, of birth before death and love made light!
/2022
