Scandal: The God who became human
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” Isaiah 7:14
Without any doubt, one of the most beautiful names of Jesus is ‘Immanuel’, God with us. I never cease to marvel at being able to come closer to understanding the scandalous nature of a God, who did not ask us to ‘divinize’ ourselves, because recognized our inability to do so; but rather, the Divine became human. That same God taught us in his life that the broad path is hatred and that excellence is in love.
In biblical times, gods are usually angry and seek to punish, condemn, kill, demonstrate their power and glory at the expense of humans, subordinate and enslave. But ours came to love us and to make a pact with us. The Divine assumed the fragility of a baby and with our own words explained to us the kingdom in which everyone fits.
That Word became flesh, muscles, bones and heart, coming to love us and chose to be received in the midst of cows, sheep and donkeys, usually present in the room where a manger is. This is an interesting connection with the relationship between God, humans, and animals.
Sadly, today we receive God but in the middle of our trash. This is our excessive consumerism, that which promotes inequality and hunger of our fellow human beings, while we destroy the earth. Excessive consumerism enriches those powerful people who waste resources at the expense of our brothers and sisters, those who are the vulnerable and oppressed, the animals, and the environment. This situation demonstrates the social subordination to the prince of this world.
But as an expression of resistance today, we continue to celebrate the birth of our Jesus, our Immanuel, God with us. The one who, with his life, taught us that we can be truly free if we walk in the freedom that he himself gave us. He who showed us the Father, the one we did not know before, and the one who reconciled us with all creation, and with the Divine when we share, and take care of others.
As long as the world idolizes excessive and unnecessary purchases, debt, selfishness, envy, resentment, and even hatred during this season, we will take this opportunity to announce hope, love, and God with us.
We will celebrate the one who gave us life and we will use that life we have received to give it to others…
¡Merry Christmas!
Warmly,
David
