“And Mary brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7
During late Advent and the early days of Christmas, I have enjoyed pondering the mystery of Christ’s birth. I have done this by meditating upon the Nativity story in Luke, looking at images of the Nativity in Christian art, and by listening to many lovely Christmas carols. Through this pondering and wondering I have seen the baby Jesus in a new light this year. I see his vulnerability, his holiness and how he is God’s beloved Son. And as I have gazed upon the baby in the manger I have come to see that Jesus is the mirror of our true selves. What we see in Jesus is also true of us. We are vulnerable. We are holy in our original blessedness. And we are beloved children of God.
Contemplative Christians throughout the ages have spoken about the importance of “the gaze.” How in contemplative prayer we are gazing upon the image of God which dwells within our souls. Jesus is that image, the perfect reflection of God in human form. By gazing upon the mirror of Jesus we behold our true original selves — beautiful, holy, shimmering and beloved. We are transformed more and more into the image of Christ. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory.” John 1:14
~ PR
To listen to a beautiful modern carol on the Nativity of Jesus follow this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G2uWwHn1I8
The song is “My Lord has Come,” by Will Todd, conducted by Nigel Short.