Where Are You?

"All that the most terrible blasphemer has to say is tame and timid compared with what we have to say. You may sweep the gutters for foul jokes, but you cannot say anything more frightful than that God was made flesh. Piety has anticipated all profanities. All the profane speakers I have ever heard have only been engaged in expounding and elaborating in detail, and perhaps with some dullness, the plain epigram of the Incarnation. The saints made the joke; the blasphemers only explain it. You may laugh if you see fit; but before you were the heavens laughed louder than you, and all the sons of God shouted for joy."

– G. K. Chesterton, (London) “Daily News”, January 11, 1908, reflected on the Annunciation of Mary

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Dear Kate,

So this is Christmas.  Let's pull the light strings together.

Two days ago I spoke about our need to locate ourselves in the ongoing human stories, as a first step to wrestle with our humanity, maybe even to struggle with God.

Then I suggested to consider two stories blended into one, each with tragicomic mix of its own, about two inconsequential women (as if being a woman is not inconsequential enough at that time), one thoroughly humiliated almost lifelong for no fault of her own (by whom not the biggest question, that God allowed it and offered no explanation the real kick in the head), the other getting gleefully ingenious to explain away her teenage pregnancy that she might be too exultant for her own good.

And yes, the metaphors we stole from them, the poor women: tunnel, light, light at the end of the tunnel.  What "tunnel" in these two stories? you asked.

Uterus tunnels.  Dah.  The darkness these inconsequential women carried with them shall usher in the lights of the first and final significance to humanity.  I told you these are profane stories, sick jokes "the heavens laughed" at.

Listen to the lowborn women again, as they located where humanity was and was heading, while they located themselves in God's Story:

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

    for the Mighty One has done great things for me— 

    holy is his name. 

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

    from generation to generation. 

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; 

    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 

He has brought down rulers from their thrones 

    but has lifted up the humble. 

He has filled the hungry with good things 

    but has sent the rich away empty.

Now here's a Christmas question for myself, for you: Where are we in this Story?  Where are you?

And I am not the one asking the question.

The first question in the Bible came from the Satan, the second from God, each speaks about the character of its speaker, revealing two human destinies.  Both times we were called to make a choice, to answer, to pledge our allegiance to whom we think has our best interest in heart.

"Where are you?" God's first question to us.

Today still.

Yours, Alex