Wonder of wonders

 

Wonder of wonders,
mystery of mysteries.
The brightness of Christmas
lies on its weather-beaten face.

Look at the cradle!
Look at the child!
Look at the face!
The body of Jesus Christ is our flesh.
He bears our flesh.
Where Christ is, there we are.
It is all our “poor flesh
and blood” which lies there
in the crib.
What happens to Jesus,
happens to us.
He became human,
that we would become
divine.
He came to us that we would
come to him.
He took human nature
that we might be eternally
with him.
Where the body of Jesus Christ is,
there we are;
we are his body.
In the body of this little child,
in the incarnate son of God,
our flesh, our distress,
anxiety, temptation,
our sin, all,
all is borne,
forgiven and healed.
We are accepted,
not despised.
God bears in his body
all our flesh and blood.

All Christian theology
has its origin here.
Without this holy night
there is no theology,
no Christology.
No priest, no theologian
stood at that cradle
and yet all theology arises
from those on bended knees
who do homage
to the mystery
of the divine child
in the stall.

Wonder of wonders,
mystery of mysteries
to know God in the flesh.
Wonder of wonders,
mystery of mysteries.
The brightness of Christmas
lies on its weather-beaten face.

(Adapted from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s writings on Advent and Christmas)

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Who Am I.