Romance is in the air. For the past month or so television audiences have indulged themselves in the visual tonic brought to them by the unfailingly engaging series of Hallmark Christmas movies. Given the bad mood in which our society has been immersed in recent years, the popularity of these hour-long respites should come as no surprise.
For those willing to reflect on it, the Christmas season should be a reminder that romance is always in the air. In fact, the greatest romance of all time is that timeless romance related to the ‘holyday’ we celebrate this week: “For God so loved the world that he gave is one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).
This great romance begins at the creation of the world. God is the Creator. God is love. The nature of love is to give of itself. Hence the loving God created the world and brought us into existence so that we might enjoy eternal life with him. However, because of our misguided pride death ‘entered the world’ and we forfeited eternal bliss. Notwithstanding our offense, God established his covenant whereby he – as only he could do – would redeem us. This, of course, is the astonishing romance chronicled in the Jewish and Christian scriptures.
The Nativity narrative hints at the ongoing unfolding of this romance. The infant Jesus, God’s Son, was laid in a manger – the feeding trough for the livestock who witnessed his birth. (Consider that etymologically the word manger derives from the Latin for to eat.) By his own self-giving Jesus becomes the bread of life. According to John’s Gospel Jesus tells us: “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The meaning of his words is reflected in the account of the Last Supper in Matthew’s Gospel “While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” The sacrificial significance of this command would become clear the next day when Jesus – fully human and fully divine – sacrificed himself on the cross for our salvation. His resurrection on the third day foretells our own restoration to eternal bliss.
One might suggest that Christmas with its ‘peace and joy’ is an inappropriate occasion to speak of the agony of Good Friday. But it is all part of the great romance. Out of love God created us. Out of love he sent his Son. And through the self-sacrifice of his Son, he redeems us. This redemption is a ‘once for all’ event which occurs in the consecration of the wine and bread with each Eucharistic celebration. The greatest romance continues.
Saint Paul instructs us that we who partake of this one bread become one body. How wonderful it is to contemplate the root of the word companion: the combination of the Latin for ‘with’ and ‘bread’. Companionship is breaking bread together.
The great romance of our lives entered a new phase in that manger that first Christmas – a phase that continues throughout the year – indeed ad saecula saeculorum, through the end of time – as, together, we partake of the Bread of Life that nourishes us and advances of the Kingdom.
A joyous Christmas to everyone!
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