Quoting John Tauler, a famous 14th century Dominican : “Our own soul is the Divine Child.” We must then nurture this Divine Child, protect it from evil forces, help it to grow, guide it and love it.

It is true. We are that Divine Child. God is nowhere if not within us. He is closer to us than we are to ourselves. And we read, ‘you are gods.’ Yes, we are called to divinity. God became human that we may recognize the divinity within our own souls; that we might become divine, sharers in the divine nature.

What St John saw when he looked into the empty tomb and what he believed are two different things. He saw the empty linens that had enshrouded the Body of Jesus; he understood far more – he believed that Jesus rose from the dead.

The same is true of many other incidents recorded in the Gospels. For example, there are at least two occasions where Jesus directs the disciples from the shore to throw their nets for a catch of fish; they see the fish and confess their Lord.  The same is true of Thomas – Jesus appears before him and he cries out, ‘My Lord and my God.’ Elizabeth sees Mary and recognizes the Lord within her womb.

For ourselves, at Christmas, we see a manger scene and swaddling bands and a young couple with their new-born but we believe that this is our God in human flesh come to dwell among us.

“Presence” – we proposed  the single word ‘ presence’ to set before ourselves the image and the ideal – the essence and the challenge – of the new community we will become as we expand from three members to six in the spring of 2012.

“Presence” – we want to be present to one another, fully present, fully alive, fully listening. We want the Lord to be present among us, guiding us, leading us, showing us the way. We want to be present, awakened, to the grace of each passing moment  – the only moment we have.

“Presence” – grace / gifts / presents – a play on words. Each moment a gift, an opportunity for grace, allowing no ray of God’s bounty to fall unnoticed or unused; a resting in the gaze of God’s love upon us. We search but it is God who finds.

“Presence” – as ‘gift’ for which we say ‘Thank you’.  ‘Thank you’ – the most fitting response , the most perfect act of worship and praise, a surrender of all we have and are into the loving arms of God.

Christmas – God in our midst as a baby: a revelation of where the true dignity, beauty and glory of our humanity is to be found – not in riches or power, not in fame, nor in privilege. Instead, we become great when we recognize our littleness, learn again childlike trust and wonder, and find once more security in God’s love.

Christmas – God’s coming as a baby reveals the truth about God as well: the magnificence and power of the Creator of the Universe displayed in the simplicity and poverty of the stable. He does not overpower, he is not overbearing or demanding; he does not threaten. He comes as promise of new beginnings, as seed of the future. He comes as a child to win our trust, disarm our defenses, gain our love.

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. Eternal is his sway. Amen. Alleluia.

Do we think of it – every encounter with another person is at least potentially a giving and a receiving of Christ? Always we have the power to bring Christ to the other and the power to find him there; and most often, both sides give and receive simultaneously. Our model is today’s Gospel – the visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth.

Neither expected the outpouring of grace they both experienced in that encounter.  Mary went to Elizabeth simply to help and Elizabeth’s child leapt for joy causing his mother to recognize the Christ in Mary; and Mary, surprised by Elizabeth’s recognition, burst into a song of praise. “My soul glorifies the Lord,” Mary said, “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” While the two mothers embraced, their two babies, still in their mothers’ wombs,  kissed.

It is the same with us. We too carry Christ to one another, and receive him there. We too find him in the other, sometimes hidden or wounded, sometimes radiant; sometimes lending a helping hand, sometimes receiving it.  We are all the Body of Christ, members of one another; the same grace flows through all of us. We cannot be separated or divided. It is his love that unites and sustains us. It is in loving that we recognize and are recognized.

“Whenever an act of love is shown, God is making his presence known.”