The hidden meaning in Christmas and the Cross
Today is damp dark and a bit gloomy. Yesterday was a beautiful Winter's day. The sun was shining brightly as I drove to the crematorium. Such beauty in the middle of sadness. Sometimes I wish the weather would match the things I have to do. When I feel sad lets have rain, and when I feel happy lets have sunshine!
However the day ended with the discovery of these wonderfully red holly berries. For some reason I was drawn to think about the cross of Christ. The red berries spoke to me about the beauty and the bitterness the sadness and the joy of relationships. These are real emotions that help me begin to reflect on who I am and why I am drawn to the cross of Christ.
All this got me thinking about something Luther said.
"The man who looks upon the invisible things of God as they are perceived in created things does not deserve to be called a theologian. The man we perceives the visible rearward parts of God as seen in suffering and the cross does deserve to be called a theologian." (Theses 19 and 20)
For Luther God is revealed and paradoxically hidden in the cross of Christ. Like Moses Luther believed we could never see God as he is, we must encounter him from the rear. We can only see the back of God. God reveals himself in paradox. His glory is in shame in humility is in his glory.
This is the first week of Advent a time when we as Christians reflect on the idea of beauty and sadness. The Christmas story itself has these elements. There must have been great beauty revealed in thd face of the Christ Child but also a great deal of anxiety and fear and suffering encompasssed his early life. Does not Luke record that a spear would pierce te heart of Mary? So here in the story of a manger and a stable there can be found the making of the cross.
Posted By: Gordon Kennedy On: 1 Dec 2009 At: 9:34pm
Thanks for this Albert.