And miles to go

by Bishop John C. Nienstedt

The Canadian-born Jesuit professor who taught me Divine Revelation at the Gregorian University had an international, scholarly reputation. For us as students, however, he was well known and talked about for a uniquely emotional characteristic: during his annual lecture on the topic of Christ’s Incarnation, he would get to the middle of his material and begin to cry, totally incapable of being able to speak. As students, we thought this was strange behavior indeed. As I grow older, I believe it was a powerful witness of faith.

Advent and Christmas draw our focus to the mystery of the Incarnation, of God becoming man. Jesus Christ is true God and true man. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: "Belief in the true Incarnation of the Son of God is the distinctive sign of Christian faith." (#461) This is not meant to be an academic exercise, but rather a personal appropriation of the love that God demonstrates for us in this great mystery. And, there are many practical repercussions!

When a person asks me why we have to confess our sins to a priest, I answer, "because of Christmas." When someone wonders why he should go to Church on Sunday, I say "because of Christmas." When I need to explain why intercommunion between Catholics and non-Catholics is wrong, it is "because of Christmas."

You see, "God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (Jn 3:16) That Son came in the flesh; that is, our sinful, earthly, human flesh. It is through that flesh that God in Christ intends to save us.

Perhaps you and I would have done it a better way, a way that was more clear-cut, less ambiguous, less messy. But, God chose to do it this way, not offering salvation "from on high", but from below . . . among us through the Church. Even though "God is love" (I Jn 4:8), his eternal love deigned to engage us through a human love so as to invite a response to that love which is freely given.

In the Incarnation, God took on all human flesh. Hence, the mediation of his love is communal, not merely individualistic. Thus, the priest does not absolve sins on his own merits, but rather as a consecrated representative of the community, which is Christ’s Body. My private prayer at home is necessary, just and right, but it cannot compare to the acceptable gift given to the Father when I join the Sunday Eucharistic assembly as Christ’s Body, offering Himself as the only pleasing sacrifice that has ever overcome sin and death and accomplished the world’s salvation.

Christmas is, therefore, much more than lights and carols, wreaths and holiday cheer. Christmas unveils God’s plan of love using the instrumentality of human, fleshy love. And, the most splendid gift of the Incarnation is the Eucharist: the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, the Word-made-flesh.

The Eucharist reveals how far God is willing to go to demonstrate his love for us. That revelation requires our profound respect. For one to receive the Eucharist unworthily, as St. Paul teaches, is to "sin against the body and blood of the Lord." (I Cor 11:27) Intercommunion among those who do not profess the same faith claims one can have union without full commitment. This is inherently dishonest. It is not right. While we all pray and work for the day when Church unity is achieved, we must honestly acknowledge that full communion, that is "union with", has not yet been realized.

During this Advent Season, I ask that we use the Sunday and daily Scripture readings to reflect on the great truth that Jesus is both true God and true man. Let us ponder the implications this has for us as individuals and as a Church, which is his Body. And, just perhaps, in the process of doing so we may be so overcome with God’s goodness that words will fail and only tears can express our heartfelt response.

December, 2001