“God is Love” says 1 John 4:8 is a perfect beginning to the Advent gift of Love. Sunday we will begin a week of unwrapping this precious gift of Love. As I consider the birth of Jesus on Christmas, I ponder the question of all that was brought into the world that first Christmas day.
Jesus the babe, born from the purity of Mary’s womb, became the symbol of this holy day of celebration. I am compelled to explore a little deeper and as I do so, I am carried forward in time to what we in Christianity commonly call “The Last Supper”. This was a time of Passover for the Jews. Jesus, being a Jew, prepared to observe Passover with his disciples. As they shared the bread of Passover, Jesus spoke these words , “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24).
This body that he spoke of, the body of Christ, is the spiritual mature expression of the babe born on that first Christmas many years ago. As I sit in my moments of silence, I meditate on “This is my body”. Jesus recognized and accepted that his physical body had been brought forth out of the essence of God. He spoke His truth in these words “I and the Father are one.” in John 10:30 and again in John 14:11 he said “believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me…”
Jesus, through his life and his example as a perfect human, teaches us that we too are born with the same potential for perfection. “This is my body…” this is the physical form that has been pressed into life out of Divine Mind. It has been brought into physical form from the invisible into the visible.
“This is my body, which was given for you…” This physical body of Jesus, son of Mary, born from the Spirit that is Holy (Divine Mind), evolves to Christ Jesus. Those times that we observe Spiritual Communion we are doing this in remembrance of the Christ in me. I take the bread that represents the substance of the universe and I remember.
I remember that I may “let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).
I remember it is not I, but the Father within that does the work (John 14:10).
I remember that just as Jesus was pressed into being from the substance of Divine (God), so too am I, made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26).
“This is my body…” reflects the potential that was brought into humankind in the birth of Jesus. This is also the potential in me and in you. All that Divine Mind is was poured into the world and made manifest as the human expression of Jesus. Jesus shows me the potential that is within all humanity.
My thoughts travel full circle to “God is Love.” Love is born on Christmas.
Sunday, we receive the Advent gift of love. Join our Celebration Service at 11:00. Rachel, Tommy, and the Unity Singers share “Christmas of Love” written by Rachel Avonne. You know that it truly isn’t the same without you!
Blessings and Love,
Rev. Karen