Contemplative Christmas

Saturday, December 21, 2024

Advent: Love, Day 7

Reading:

“All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” [1]

Reflection:

Lying underneath the love we seek on earth is our mostly unconscious desire to be reunited with God who, though ever-present, exists beyond our conscious grasp. If lust seeks to satisfy earthly desires, Love seeks more—something inclusive of our earthly state, but with deeper and eternal roots. That sort of Love is animated by and given through the Spirit, meaning the Spirit brings Love to Life – gives it breath, depth, and verdancy. The Christmas story tells how Jesus was conceived by the uniting of the Spirit of God with the body of Mary, which is to say that heaven and earth came together to form something greater than either could produce alone.

Jesus walked the earth, fully Spirit and fully human. And that is the Love we seek – to have our spiritual and human natures united as one. To be complete; to be whole. Love, at its core, is all about union, or re-union. Like gravity, Love draws and binds us to the object of our love. Like Jesus, we too were born of the Spirit – through the sexual union of our parents, yes, but the indwelling of the Spirit is what animates and makes us consciously alive. As we learn to consciously express both our spiritual and physical natures, our lives become a Light for others – the Light of God shining through us. And the darkness, evil, ignorance, violence, and illness of this earth cannot overcome the Light emanating from that Love. It only takes a spark…

Closing Meditation:

Sit in silence and imagine the Light and Love of God permeating every part of your being.

Journal the thoughts and feelings that arise.

This daily series, Contemplative Christmas, is replacing my weekly Life Notes until January 6, 2025, when my weekly blog will resume. The thoughts expressed here are mine. To engage with me: ghildenbrand@outlook.com.

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[1] John 1:3-5