Since becoming of aware of the
shooting in Newtown, Connecticut I have seen a lot posts coming from
people expressing their solidarity with those who suffered in the
wake of this disaster. I too have even shared a prayerful thought as
I began to reflect on it myself. Now as the initial shock has worn
off I have read some of the commentators, both religious and
political, on the attacks and listened to an Advent Sermon on Joy
shaped by the atrocity. In the season where we celebrate the Lord's
Incarnation, his becoming flesh, I thought it would be helpful to
offer a few framing thoughts for the conversations that will occur in
the days, weeks and months to come.
First and foremost, in Jesus God has
been revealed to us. So it follows that any questions regarding
theodicy, questions regarding the goodness of God in light of evil,
need to keep that in mind. God's ultimate commitment of his
revelation of love for us is that he literally became one of us.
He put on flesh and reconciled
humanity and divinity in himself, and that relationship is not
divorced in the incarnation, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension
or Second Coming, he is and will always be both Fully Human and Fully
God. Essentially, God so loved the world that he gave
his
only begotten son...to be united to us forever.
Secondly, where there is no cross
there is no Christianity. The revelation of God in Jesus will always
be cross shaped. Meaning that God does not sit over and above
humanity condemning them, watching passively or even apathetic to
their concerns. Rather, in and for love, he is the God that came to
humanity and suffered with and
for humanity.
Therefore, God understands what it is like to lose a son and even
understands the pain and sting of death. However, now through our
faith/fulness in him we can too can say with him, “O death, where
is your sting?”
Lastly, the hope
of Christianity, the world that God imagines, is already and not yet.
In a world that seems so overcome by darkness we are called to be
the Light and we know that the darkness can not overcome it. We as
Christians through the Holy Spirit have felt, seen and even tasted of
the powers of the age to come. We are co-laborers with God in
bringing about his Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven through
our work and prayers. We are the people who have been transformed,
renewed and revived in the Spirit and that process continues in the
present until the redemption of our bodies at his Second Coming when
he will redeem and reconcile all things to himself. Therefore, in
this Christmas time as we reflect on Hope, Peace, Joy and Love we
must remember to be the embodiment of these things until his coming
and partner with God in the transformation of this world until all
things are made new and God wipes every tear from our eyes because
the last enemy has been defeated, death.
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