As I sit at my desk, with Christmas music streaming from pandora.com, I can't help but think of the mystery of the incarnation. The incarnation is a wonderous statement of the mystery of Christ - that the Son of God took on human form and while being the fullness of God became also the fullness of humanity.
The incarnation comes to me with special meaning in the weeks leading up to Christmas - the incarnation is hope and life. As God became human and dwelt in human circumstance so the life and destiny of humanity is redemption and a shared life with God.
There is no more profound statement of God's determination to be our God then the birth of Christ, and no where do humans feel the calling of the Sacred then in the responsibility and challenge of God taking on human form.
Much of my life is spent trying to act like a god - exploiting my brothers and sisters, discarding what I do not want, consuming what I do not need. What a far cry this is from God who became human.
The message of Ruah Swennerfelt and Louis Cox and the ministry of care for the earth is poignant at this time in history. As Friends our testimony of simplicity is crucial in ways that the first generation of Quakers could never have seen. Particularly, the 18th Century Quaker John Woolman saw that the desire for material excess was a root in the evil done to others, but also did spiritual harm to the one living in excess. Today, we know that the exploitation of others and the harm done to God's creation is systemic and multi-generational. We know that the net harm done through pollution and selfish, unsustainable living is greater then other generations knew because science today has put a thermometer in the earth's mouth and we know it is sick.
This Christmas let's honor and steward all of God's creation with the same dignity that God showed it in the incarnation we celebrate.
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