Saturday, December 18, 2010

What Stirrings in the Stars!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

In the beginning. Such a telling phrase. It bespeaks of first things. The genesis of our existence, nay, of even the world's existence. We can't help but wonder: How long ago is "the beginning..."? Light years must even be meager measurements when looking at the beginning of things. And John talks not of the Logos as if He, the Logos, had a beginning---a time before which the Logos did not exist. Rather, "in the beginning" sets the stage for the making and the redemption of Man. And in the fullness of time a girl's fiat begins things, a babe in the womb leaps for joy, a birth happens in Bethlehem.
Now the womb is not so happy a place. How could such beginnings be burdens? Rama weeps and we seek to dry her eyes. How? Turn to Bethlehem, and behold. What shalom has settled there! What stirrings in the stars! What new light has broken upon the black! What new caritas cleaves the cosmos with candescence!

First published in Park Street Church's Advent Devotional 2006

2 Comments:

At January 15, 2011 at 7:45 PM , Blogger LM said...

"What shalom has settled there!" I love the deceptively simple word choice, it conveys so much more than mere meaning. It has a setting and a place as outlined by the previous sentence. And the namesake of the piece, "What stirrings in the stars!" What better way to describe the changes and rejoicing brought about by Christ's birth? Oh and one more thing, the "Caritas Cleaves the Cosmos with Candescence"....the 'K' sound is sublime.

 
At January 19, 2011 at 10:41 AM , Blogger William Stevenson said...

Thanks, LM, for your kind comments! I am strengthened by them.

 

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