March 25th – The Conception and Incarnation of The Lord

Every human life begins the same way, a mysterious spiritual breath of God’s Divine Love, in physical cooperation with a man and a woman. Every human being lives for a while unseen, hidden in the mother’s womb until the day of birth and visibility. When our God, the Creator, chose to incarnate and become a human Creature, our very brother though fully Divine – Emanuel dwelling among us, He too lived unseen for a while… hidden in the virginal womb of His mother Mary until that first Christmas when He became visible to the world. Magi of that time, also known as The Wise Men and The Three Kings, by their faith in God and their intellectual reasoning, knew of the birth of the Messiah and of His star. Bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they set out to seek, find, embrace, and adore their tiny new King. Known as The Epiphany, the historical event is celebrated in the Church around January 6th each year, commemorating that moment when grace, intellect and free will led those “kings of the world“ to seek and find the King who is God.

If the Incarnation occurred today, in the Third Millennium, with the knowledge of modern science and technology, might the Magi respond differently? Suppose, for example, the Wise Men knew of ultrasound capability and knew that their King’s tiny heart started beating on about the 21st day of His life inside his mother? Would faith and reasoning have led them to seek and follow the Star to Nazareth months before his birth into the world in Bethlehem? Would the Magi have come to adore the tiny King, Emanuel, dwelling inside Mary, as soon as they knew He existed? With the scientific and technological knowledge of the 21st Century, is the Church being called to a New Epiphany?

Indeed, more than 2,000 years later, wise men still seek Him. Let us all be wise, then, in faith and reasoning, and seek our God who dwelt hidden among us for nine months, in the holy temple of Mary’s womb. Now is the time! As the liturgical year takes us to March 25th, the Annunciation of the Incarnation of Jesus, let us prepare to join our “yes” with Mary’s “yes” and bring forth a great New Fiat, inviting God’s will into our lives. Let us celebrate the Incarnation of Jesus, and adore Him from the moment He began dwelling among us in Mary’s womb. Let us, give birth to the New Epiphany, as we seek and find and adore our tiny King Jesus, God the Son, who lived among us nine months hidden in the womb of Mary. Then let us all live our faith in love, as pilgrims on the great Way of Love, companions with Mary and the hidden Jesus, in great anticipation of Christmas Day when we celebrate His birth to the world and the glory of His Face. And through loving and adoring our God in His hidden littleness, from the moment of His conception, may we recognize and love Him in all those who are the least among us, throughout our life journeys.

May all who have eyes see the hidden Christ. May all who have ears hear the beat of His tiny Sacred Heart. May all who give their “yes” with Mary be blessed on the Way of Love, in great anticipation of the coming of Jesus at Christmas. And may we seek and find Him hidden in the least, who are poor, sick, naked, lonely, homeless, imprisoned. And as we embrace Him and love Him, may we be nourished in grace, wisdom, joy and the Peace that only comes from Him.

Copyright 2012 Ellen Marie Edmonds