Week 11 - The Incarnation
Theme:
God steps into our history of humanity
by becoming human himself:
He becomes one of us, one with us.
With all His heart and soul, He commits Himself
to all the countless people,
to whom, out of love, He gave life.
He wants to bring to light,
that within our human limitations,
a life lived out of love is possible.
What I might wish to ask for:
That I may be able to fathom out and understand
what God becoming human means for the world,
for the people I know and also for myself.
That I may get to know Jesus more fully,
In order to love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly.
He became human for me as well.
Music: Soms breekt uw licht Huub Oosterhuis
Soms breekt uw licht
in mensen door
onstuitbaar
zoals een kind
geboren wordt.
Gedenk de mens
die wordt genoemd
uw kind uw koninkrijk
uw licht.
Geen duisternis heeft ooit
hem overmeesterd.
Gedenk ons
die als hij geboren zijn
eens en voorgoed
die uit zijn mond
uw Naam hebben gehoord,
die moeten leven
in de schaduw van de dood
Hem achterna
Sometimes Your Light breaks
through in people
irrepressibly
so as a child
is born.
Remember the person
who is called
Your child, Your kingdom,
Your light.
No darkness ever
overpowered Him.
Remember us
who have been born just like Him
once and for all
who, from His mouth,
have heard Your Name,
who have to live
in the shadow of death
following Him.
Spotify Link:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3Y9RwQRD4y2kGJ08oLvLuR?si=b138f18d98a943c3
YouTube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwGtqBDe0iU
Matthew 1, 18-24 The Birth of Jesus the Messiah
Now the birth of Jesus Christ[i] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emman′u-el”
(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife.
What is happening here? I place myself with Mary and Joseph and try to feel empathy for what they are experiencing.
*
Joseph doesn’t know what to do and Mary is mystified. And even so they both still say ‘YES’. A mystery is happening here. We can’t understand it either, we can’t grasp it, we don’t get it. This is how God becomes human, among us as a tiny baby, in this mysterious way. He has so very much love for us. He also comes to me. Am I able to let Him into my heart, just as Mary and Joseph did, without wanting to unravel what remains a mystery? Or do I feel resistance?
*
God becomes human. He also comes to me. That is also a mystery. He IS present in me in completely ordinary, everyday things. Do I see that? Do I want to see that? How would I like to express His Love in the coming days?
*
Music