Villa La Paz Newsletter December 2022
Incarnation: Christian Theol.
Effectuation of the hypostatic union through the conception of the Second Person of the Trinity in the womb of the Virgin Mary
Hypostasis: Christian Theol.
the union of the wholly divine nature and of a wholly human nature in the one person of Jesus Christ (in full hypostatic union)
Kenosis: Christian Theol.
the voluntary abasement of the Second Person of the Trinity in becoming man
Webster’s New World Dictionary
Third College edition
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came to be through Him and without Him nothing came to be. What came to be
4 through Him was life, and this life was the light of the human race,
5 the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory of the Father’s only son full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-5, 14
Seldom do we think about the humility of God. We are transfixed by the words omnipotent, omniscient, infinite, by the idea that He is a stern judge, keeping points on our good and bad behaviors with which one day He will mete out our just punishments and/or just rewards. We seldom hear or understand the word kenosis or His kenotic self-emptying in becoming man, suffering as we do, giving His life as a solemn pledge of His solidarity with us. We seldom consider the true implications of the Incarnation in which our God, omnipotent, omniscient, infinite took on the trappings of human flesh and became dependent on the creatures He created. And if we do consider God as a human being we tend to emphasize His divine attributes, the ability to heal disease and drive out demons, His ability to calm storms and walk on water. We tend to forget the He was like us in all things but sin. His human emotions were displayed when He wept at the tomb of Lazarus and when He cried out that He had been forsaken by all as He hung on the cross. Another of His human attributes was His compassion. His human existence was marked by downward mobility, going to the marginalized of society to heal corporally and spiritually. What so scandalized the society of His time was that He associated with those who were considered the dregs of society: adulterers, tax collectors, prostitutes. Instead of courting the powerful and movers of His society He sought out its lowest and most dejected members.
His gift of free will to us is another mark of His humility. He does not force His will on us but allows us to love or reject Him and, in so many ways, seeks our love in the opportunities He send us to love Him in caring for the least of His little ones. He disguises Himself as the homeless person, the panhandler, the coworker or family member we find so annoying and irritating and in loving them we love Him.
In this Christmas celebration, a celebration of love, many doubt and find it hard to reconcile a loving, benevolent God with the suffering present in the world. Perhaps in this life a total reconciliation is not possible. We can see in the beauty and order of the universe, in the smile of a child, in the love of parents for their children and in so many other situations a reflection of God’s goodness and love. We also know that God suffered physically and emotionally while on earth in solidarity with our suffering. Perhaps the following can in some way reconcile God’s goodness and love with the existence of suffering.
We must not separate ourselves from the suffering of the world. When we’re close to those in pain, their need evokes love in us. Very few of us have the largess, the magnanimity to just decide to be loving. Someone has to ask it of us. We have to place ourselves in situations with people who are not like us, outside our systems of success and security, so we can read life from another perspective. The needs we witness will pull us towards love, toward generosity and compassion.
I think the icon of the cross does this on a spiritual level. The bleeding body pulls us into itself and into bleeding humanity, too. I experience this pull when watching the news, witnessing the suffering of people all over the world. I realize much of the broadcast is superficial and even biased, but it takes me out of the protective bubble of my little hermitage where I can live far too peacefully and comfortably. It makes me more aware that right now there is a woman in Syria or Ukraine carrying her baby and running for her life. I must take that in and be in solidarity with her in whatever ways I can, witnessing what she is going through: the anxiety, the pain, the fear. That is what teaches us how to love. That is the pain we must allow to transform us and inspire us to act somehow.
Father Richard Rohr, OFM
I have learned that our pain softens the shell that insulates us from the suffering of others. Our grief allows us to absorb their grief, making us a part of the collective suffering of the world, a suffering known and borne by God Himself. In this deepest and and most profound connection with others I have found joy.
Emma Meier
In witnessing suffering we are called to compassion and love in ways we cannot attain on our own. Suffering is redemptive as it calls us into the very being of the Trinity where the Three Divine Persons exist is a dance of self-giving love, enjoining us to do the same with each other.
Our children and the children of the world reflect the humility of God. They are totally dependent on the will of others. They do not impose themselves but gladly and thankfully accept what is offered to them. So often Our Lord enjoins us to become like children if we are to enter into the kingdom of heaven, to become open and submissive according to their example. May it be so.
We thank you for supporting our children and the children of the world. We wish you God’s peace and love during the celebration of His birth and in the New Year.
