Bridging the Gap

Incarnation is the overcoming of the gap between God and everything visible and concrete. It is the synthesis of matter and spirit. Without incarnation, God remains separate from us and from creation. Because of incarnation, we can say, “God is with us!” In fact, God is in us, and in everything else that God created. We all have the divine DNA.

                     Richard Rohr, Daily Meditations, 6/6/2021

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I can’t help it

It is a reality that I cannot escape

 

Even though it is difficult to define it

label it

capture it

 

there is something that permeates everything

something creative

ordering

and yes, loving

 

a power that brings into being

that sustains

heals

repairs

and comforts

 

this very real power

this presence

is something I want to be connected to

it is something I want to participate in

 

because whatever it is that is “out there”

is also “in me”

I am irresistibly drawn

 

But while it is so real

as real as the sunrise, or the sunset

as real as Mount Joseph, looming over my home

as real as my heart beating

and my breath, moving in, moving out

 

it is also so vague

 

hooray for incarnation

for that is what this power does

call it God, call it whatever you will

 

it is the nature of this reality to incarnate

to put on flesh

the universe, this planet

the wind, the sun, the moon and the stars

 

all incarnations

 

so too Jesus

so too you and me

 

and here is the thing

whatever you call this power, we know its nature

 

love

all the incarnations make this perfectly clear

 

which teaches us something

the incarnation is always love

love is always incarnational

 

I love the story of Jesus

not just the story of the mewling baby, pink and raw lying in a manger

not just the story of Jesus

who instead of watching the sinners get dunked from the safety of the shore

jumped into the dirty waters of the Jordan and joined in,

but the story of Jesus, refusing to answer hate with hate

violence with violence

and saying

 

THIS STOPS HERE

 

on the cross

(you can’t get anymore “all in” than that)

 

Love is incarnational

if we would be people of love

continuing the incarnation of love

 

we have to dive in

get wet

go in over our heads

 

we have to get out there

and get our hands dirty

helping those who need help

feeding the hungry, clothing the naked

housing the homeless, protecting the vulnerable

welcoming the stranger

fighting for justice

 

giving all we have

time, energy, money, all

 

If we want to understand God, if we want others to catch

a glimpse of who God is, what God is really all about

we have to be the incarnation

now

 

get it?

 

Christ came singing love

Christ lived singing love

Christ died singing love

If the song is to go on, we must do the singing

(Words used by New Freedom Singers, Whitman College, 1970’s, original source unknown to me)