God Becoming Human

One of my all-time favorite Broadway musicals is “The Lion King”. I had the privilege of seeing it again on my most recent trip to New York. It has a stunning opening with the song, “Circle of Life”. In the circle of life Simba, the lion cub, is destined to become the Lion King. The problem is that he doesn’t believe that. Convinced by his Uncle Scar that he is responsible for his father’s, Mufasa, death, Simba wanders through the underworld with Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and warthog duo. Then one day Rafiki, the priestly mandrill, hits Simba over the head with a coconut and says, “Who are you? I know who you are. You are Mufasa’s boy.” Down by the lakeside, peering into his own reflection in the water, Simba hears the voice of his father Mufasa saying, “Simba, remember who you are.” For me, the story line echoes and mirrors a similarity in today’s celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. Today, with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, we conclude our Christmas season. We celebrate the wondrous reality of God becoming human, honoring our human nature with His immortal presence. An ancient theologian named Origen tried to simplify the message of Advent and Christmas. He said something like this: Suppose there were a statue so large that the eye of humanity could simply not take it in with one look. How best to grasp the essential form and substance of this statue? Would it not be wise to make a small copy to an exact scale but much reduced? Then humanity could see what the greater statue was like. Origen went on to say this is what God has done in Jesus Christ. He shows us what He himself is like within the bounds of our human ability to understand. Having shown us who He is, and how we can be, the next step is up to us. God has come down. Humanity has been lifted up. Salvation has drawn nigh. All we have to do is receive it, joyfully, and make it our own. Are you ready to do so?

Msgr. Mike