HOMILY + CHRISTMAS – 2017 – “Midnight Mass” –
The mystery of the Incarnation is a wonderful exchange between divinity
and humanity. The early Church explored this idea deeply. The antiphon
for first Vespers on January 1 – The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God,
picks up this theme beautifully: We sing: “O wondrous exchange! the
Creator of all, having assumed a living body, chose to be born of a
Virgin, and coming among us in poverty, enriched us with his divinity.”
In the Churches of the East, this concept is called theosis,
which in the West we simply call divinization. The idea might
seem strange to us at first, that God became human so that
humans could become divine. Saint Athanasius, in his sermon “On
the Incarnation” 54:3, expressed this idea clearly. The early
Church had many battles with those who denied Jesus’ divinity.
Because they defended his divinity, they had the opportunity to
meditate on what it means for the Word, the Logos, to become
flesh. One of the great riches that came from their meditations
was the teaching that God became human so that humans could
become divine. Of course, this process of divinization is not of
our own doing. Rather, God takes the initiative and we simply
respond by living lives that reflect the splendor of God.
We find this same idea expressed in the commingling of water
with wine at the Preparation of the Gifts in reference to
Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity so that we
might share in his divinity.
Pope John Paul II expressed this idea in his encyclical
Veritatis Splendor, in which he sees the splendor of truth that
shines forth in all the works of the Creator and, in a special
way, in humanity, created in the image and likeness of God.
Truth enlightens human intelligence and shapes human freedom,
leading humanity to know and love the Lord; hence, the psalmist
prays: “Lord, show us the light of your face!” (Psalm 4:7).
Human existence restored by this divine exchange achieves
wondrous union with God. Seeing Christ in others and being
Christ for them truly honors and venerates his abiding presence
in us. By the mystery of the Incarnation, we are made eternal,
even in our frailty as mere mortals. This is the great mystery
we celebrate when the Word became flesh. God bless you, and
Merry Christmas.