Our Faith Begins and Ends in the Beauty of Perfection

    This is Day 6 of the Twelve Days of Christmas.  It is a time of contemplation, a time to come to the manger and simply enjoy the gift of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Not since the time of creation has the perfection of God entered into our world.  This is why we concluded our Christmas Eve service with a reading from John 1.  The Gospel of John does not include Jesus at the Christmas story, but it includes Jesus at the Creation story.

    Why beauty?  Why focus on the beautiful as the center of our faith?  It is a word that is more accessible than 'perfection'.  How do we, in this broken and sinful world, ever begin to measure up to perfection, to God?  But we can see what is beautiful, we can experience what is beautiful, we can approach God in what is beautiful.

    Beauty is more than simply an aspect of 'things'.  What Jesus has done for us, in his death (true ugliness) and his resurrection, has led to our redemption, our renewal, our salvation into God's own family.  It is the ultimate expression of love.  It is, can you guess what I am going to say?  It is truly beautiful.

    The New Year is the season of making promises and new starts and resolutions in all parts of our lives.  With the Season of Christmas, God prepares the way.  It is the season of Peace and the Prince of Peace (no matter how much the popular culture seeks to clutter it up with busyness).  

    When we describe our God, we use some really big concepts.  God is All-Loving (well, more simply, God IS Love), All-Knowing, All-Present, All-Powerful; to which I might suggest that God is All-Beautiful, not simply in appearance but in what God has done for us.  At Christmas, renewal comes in the simple adoration of the Baby in the Manger.  

    Pentatonix sings a version of "Mary, Did You Know", and there is a line in the song where they ask if Mary realizes that as she looks into the face of Jesus, she looks into the face of God?  There is a call there for us all, in the gift of Jesus, we too look into the love, strength, goodness, and beauty of God.  Upon that foundation is the stage set for us to enter the New Year.

Peace,
Pastor Peter