Anne Lastman
For unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given and His name shall be called wonderful, counsellor, the Mighty God, Prince of peace, Everlasting Father. (Isaiah 9:6)
As Christmas approaches, we are reminded that a child was born just over 2000 years ago and he was named Jesus, Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace. The child whose conception was promised eons earlier and the time his coming announced by an angel, and whose birth was heralded by a choirs of angels. He entered into this earth seen only by a few shepherds tending their sheep and from a great distance three wise men who set out following a star to find the person whom this heavenly explosion of light indicated he had arrived.
The Prince of Peace whose identity had been hidden, throughout eons of time, but with clues to his presence hidden in plain sight. The cause of such earthly celebration for the wonderful counsellor, everlasting cause of joy, Prince of Peace was the promise that Yahweh God, Creator Father had made a long time past, that one would come to crush a demonic head, and this done in a miraculous manner by His own entry into Eden.
Christmas, a time of celebration with solemnity, majesty, joy comes each year to remind us of that time long ago when God entered into the realm of the human and became as one of them, us. Or perhaps even a response to that question asked of God in Psalm 8 “who is man that you should be mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You have made him a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honour” And yet it was angels who announced the time of his birth and arrival into the state of human being. In this angelic announcement can be seen the beginning of the future glory that this now infant would bring to those whom he had come to join His divinity to their humanity, that is, by his entering into their created order. Man, created lower than the angels, and yet an angel announces the time of his entry into creation and his birth heralded by choirs of angels and their ecstatic joy that one so mighty became one so little. One who is Glory to one so small. One who could be seen and touched and adored by shepherds and wise men and not die because the human being looked into his face. (Ex, 33:20). From now on the face of God was again visible (as in the Garden) and able to be seen by Adam (human). Man again was overshaded by cloud, like Mary, the new temple, (A cloud filled the temple of God. The priests could not even carry out their duties because the cloud -the glory of God-Shekinah- filled the temple.) (Chron. 5:13-14 ). Cloud of Glory.
Christmas, a time of feasting and jubilation (as we celebrate any birthday) in this case the one whose birth we celebrate has come and restored the relationship of man and his creator lost in the annals of time. Songs have been written, music composed, artworks painted, poetry written, narratives written, each to honour the Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace, everlasting Father, source of all joy.
Superficial reading of scripture deprives the reader of those words ostensibly written by human hands but in effect dictated by the Shekinah, Glory of Yahweh, the Third person of the Blessed Trinity who even in our day overshadows not only the Church and guides it through “Peter,” but again overshadows our common home, as HH Pope Francis called our world, planet Earth.
The heavenly realm was prepared for the creation of the angels. The earthly realm and our common home was created for the ultimate creation …man. (Ps 8).
Throughout Advent we reflect on this journey, our own and those involved with the first advent, the first announcement in Genesis (3:15) and through thousands of years many hidden announcements of his person coming and the final announcement the angel, to the young Jewish maiden who had been prepared to fulfil the announcement. Difficult as at this may seem at the moment, we see and hear every Christmas eve and day the joy, celebration, decorations, Holy Mass, trees and stars above the trees and Oh! the beauty of Carols sung all over the world, “Joy to the World” “Hallelujah Chorus” “Silent Night” “Come all ye Faithful” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and other more modern renditions. We stand in awe and perhaps some of us who know, think about God’s promise not to destroy the city if Abraham could find 50 righteous people there, then Abraham continued his negotiations with God, until the number of righteous reached ten. When on Christmas eve, globally at all times throughout that 24-hour period we hear words of joy and praise and thanksgiving to God for his creation and for sending his own Son Jesus, whose birthday we celebrate every year, Jesus and the Shekinah, which throughout time has accompanied and protected a people chosen and prepared for this time and event to be celebrated.
A child is God’s confidence and promise of a tomorrow
For me personally as a mother, I also get caught up in the Christmas rush and the overspending and the “wants” of the children and at this time I don’t say “no” and of course the preparation for Christmas day. For me personally this past “Advent” included extra daily Mass, almsgiving, and trying to forgive (difficult) because the “infant” came for this. However, the moments which really touched my soul so deeply that there was a longing for “home.” This happened during, seeing, listening to about 50-60,000 people holding candles, children in arms sleeping, and singing the above-mentioned carols, usually led by professional singers, and the people joining in. It’s easy to see what heaven must be like. It’s comforting to see that behind all the noise of modern times, wars, confusion, fear, visible and audible hatred, there can be seen a true expression of love and hope. All Christian denominations and even those of no religious belief joining in. On this night no differences.
This year I’ve also been so touched by the singing first by a young band in front of tens of thousands of young people with arms raised, like waiting to receive the child, and glowing faces, and following this another group of professional singers including and led by Andrea Boccelli singing a song, the words found in Old Testament (Numb 6:24-26) “May the Lord bless and keep you, May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord Lift up his face upon you and give you peace.” And the final word “Amen” (The blessing). It brings to mind the last word of the history of God’s promise being fulfilled. The last word in Scripture. Amen. Jesus, the Amen of God. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the Amen.
This song apparently had been recorded several years ago but I had not come across it or heard it until several days ago and it touched my soul so deeply bringing a torrent of happy tears and a strange feeling of such peace that for the first time in my many years, I felt I wasn’t afraid of death. It was a feeling unlike any I’ve experienced before. The depth of my soul listening, hearing and understanding the true meaning of Amen.
