The Coming

And God held in his hand
A small globe. Look he said.
The son looked. Far off,
As through water, he saw
A scorched land of fierce
Colour. The light burned
There; crusted buildings
Cast their shadows: a bright
Serpent, A river
Uncoiled itself, radiant
With slime.

On a bare
Hill a bare tree saddened
The sky. Many people
Held out their thin arms
To it, as though waiting
For a vanished April
To return to its crossed
Boughs. The son watched
Them. Let me go there, he said.

RS Thomas



http://www.julianmaddock.org.uk/poetry/TheComing.html

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Incarnation

From THE LOG, The Church Newsletter of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Seattle - The Reverend Dr. Peter Strimer, Rector -

December 15, 2009

WALK the TALK

Incarnation

The essence of Christianity that separates it from the other world faiths is what we celebrate at Christmas time. Our belief that God dwells incarnate among us, that the Word became flesh, is our gift of faith to the world.

What does that mean for you? As a German mystic wrote, "What does it profit me if Gabriel hails the Virgin unless he brings to me the very selfsame tidings?"

What the Incarnation demands of us is that our faith is found in the flesh. WE are the body of Christ given for the world. We are God's indwelling spirit born anew. Christ is born in us today, not just in Bethlehem long ago.

Go tell it on the mountain; Jesus Christ is born: in you, in me, for all.

Peter Strimer

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http://www.saintandrewsseattle.org/index.shtml

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