Wonder of wonders

Light in darkness promised
through the hard labour of the birth of a child.
A child bearing peace and goodwill,
bringing justice and righteousness
without end and without measure.

May you know all the blessings of this special season.

With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year

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.

(Text adapted from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s writings on Advent and Christmas. Image – Detail of Nativity by Josefina de Vasconcellos)

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Big Star - Jesus Christ.