The inestimable impact of the Incarnation
Exclusive: Hanne Nabintu Herland notes, 'Connected to God's love, hatred becomes impossible'
By Hanne Nabintu Herland Published January 1, 2020 at 5:27pm
Born in a manger, far from presidential palaces, the symbolism of Jesus Christ's birth carries oceans of hope for those less fortunate – and for the rich: He was worshiped by Eastern astrologers who found his star and brought their wealth to lay down at his feet. Kings and queens have since meditated at His altar; the poor, the desperate and desolate have found peace connecting to his eternal star.
The true message of Christmas transcends class, race, gender and cultures. This is the mystery of which the Eastern Orthodox Church speaks: "God cannot be grasped by the mind. If he could be grasped, he would not be God," as stated by Evagrius of Pontus.
The founding father of what later became the largest religion in the world, the Eastern philosopher and spiritual icon, Jesus son of Mary, outlined the very solution to civil strife, division and war. His simple message was "Love one another."
Love thy God and love thy neighbor. Do good to others. Live in such a way that you treat others with respect, giving freely to those in need.
The idea is: "Be honest, honorable, honest, accountable, faithful. Keep the commandments and get a great life that prepares you for the afterlife, in which there will be a judgment on how you spent your short lived days on this planet."
The existential peace found in the metaphysical fellowship between God and man, described by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel in Rome as God touching the finger of Adam, becomes the very solution to this world's problems. We need the touch of God to transcend from darkness to light.
"Come to me all ye who are burdened, and I will give you rest," speaks the Master Jesus. That rest – the peace not of this world – becomes a man's source of new energy, of wisdom, understanding, perseverance and love for others. Connected to God's love, hatred becomes impossible. The very being of God is love. He Is Love. Wherever there is genuine love, God is. The battlefield against our demons happens in the mind, the very place where we choose our values and whom to follow.
Christianity is not foremost about how "I can be blessed, get my promotion, get rich." In an age of endless materialism, some forget that the main commandment was not "love thyself." God is not a genie in a bottle, some power I can sway to do my will. Rather, I am to do His will embedded in a single word: love.
The call for loving your fellow man, suffering when he suffers, helping him the instant you find the means to, constantly looking for ways in which you can ease other's pain – this is the Gospel. St. Seraphim of Sarov, one of the Orthodox Fathers, says: "When the Spirit of God descends upon a man and overshadows him with he fulness of his outpouring, then his soul overflows with a joy not to be described, for the Holy Spirit turns to joy whatever he touches. The kingdom of heaven is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Acquire inward peace and thousands around you will find salvation."
It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of Christianity's influence on Western values. The message of the world's most famous spiritual leader, Jesus Christ, was revolutionary in its definition of the value of each human life.
Robert Palmer, a distinguished historian at Princeton and Yale, stated in "A History of the Modern World" that Christian philosophy was revolutionary in that its definition of humanity was inclusive of all people, an altogether new view on the value of human life.
It was Christianity that introduced the principle of equality, which unleashed the revolutionary idea that each man, regardless of class, gender and race, has a genuine worth far beyond the narrow scope of this life. The famous philosopher and atheist Jürgen Habermas states that Christian theology in the Middle Ages and Spanish scholasticism are the origins of what we call human rights.
The early Christians worked to relieve suffering, help the poor, support the sick and ailing. They taught humility, kindness, perseverance and that all men were brothers.
Habermas points out that modern moral philosophical and political theory pays a high price for excluding the very Christian ethics that in history has demonstrated the ability to motivate individuals to care for one another.
This is precisely what we need today: To love one another, accepting differences, reaching mutual understandings, and cultivating wisdom, not hatred. We need the return of the true meaning of Christmas.
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