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James 5:7-11

 

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (ESV)


Athanasius Contra Mundum

Wednesday in Advent 3

15 December 2010

Every Advent I reread the little book of St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation. St. Athanasius (A.D.  298-373) of Alexandria is famed for being the defender of Christian orthodoxy against the heresy of Arianism, in which the Christ is but a creature who had a beginning, and thus could not be fully God. C. S. Lewis says of Athanasius' stand: "He stood for the Trinitarian doctrine, 'whole and undefiled,' when it looked as if all the civilized world was slipping back from Christianity into the religion of Arius-into one of those 'sensible' synthetic religion's which are so strongly recommended today and which, then as now, included among their devotees these many highly cultivated clergymen. It is his glory that he did not move with the times; it is his reward that he now remains when those times, as all times do, have moved away" [C. S. Lewis, "Introduction,"  St. Athanasius on the Incarnation, rev. ed. (Crestwood: St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, 1953), 9.] No wonder then, that his epitaph should be Athanasius Contra Mundum: Athanasius against the world!
Athanasius of Alexandria

 

"We also, by God's grace, briefly indicated that the Word of the Father is Himself divine, that all things that are of their being to His will and power, and that it is through Him that the good Father gives order to creation, by Him that all things are moved, and through Him that they received their being....We must take a step further in the faith of our holy religion, and consider also the Word's becoming Man and his divine Appearing in our midst. That mystery the Jews traduce, the Greeks deride, but we adore; and your own love and devotion to the Word also will be greater, because in his manhood He seems so little worth. For it is a fact that the more unbelievers pour scorn on Him, so much the more does He make His Godhead evident. The things which they, as men, rule out as impossible, He plainly shows to be possible; that which they deride as unfitting, His goodness makes most fit; and things which these wiseacres laugh at as 'human' He by His inherent might declares divine. Thus by what seems His utter poverty and weakness on the cross He overturns the pomp and parade of idols, and in a quiet and hidden way wins over the mockers and unbelievers to recognize him as God"


Athanasius, On the Incarnation of the Word of God, 1

Prayer

Lord Jesus, in weakness and humility you took on human flesh that you might make a mockery of human pride and pomp. Grant us in our day to share in your weakness in humility that we may make your Incarnation evident in the world. Amen.


For all those suffering bereavement in the season of new life, that they would mourn their loss with a sure hope of the resurrection to come


For all those struggling with the false expectations of the world's "holiday season," that they might find peace that surpasses human understanding in the baby born in Bethlehem


For Chaplain Donald Ehrke (Major) and the men and women of the First Cavalry whom he serves, that they would be kept under the care of the watchful angels of God

Art: LEONARDO da Vinci Annunciation 1472-75

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