NP Xmas, another view Re: pynchon-l-digest V2 #1568

[Doug Millison]

The Christmas-Epiphany Mystery is the celebration of the transmission 
of divine light. 

And in a bit longer form, Father Thomas writes:

Here is a summary of the teaching of the liturgy in the 
Christmas-Epiphany Mystery:

1.	Human nature is united to the Eternal Word, the Son of God, 
in the womb of the Virgin Mary: Advent.
2.	The Eternal Word appears in human form as the light of the 
world: Christmas.
3.	He manifests his divinity through his humanity: Epiphany.
4.	By his baptism in the Jordan, he purifies the church, the 
extension of his body in time, and sanctifies the waters of baptism: 
Epiphany and the Sunday following.
5.	He takes his people to himself in spiritual marriage, 
transforming them into himself: Epiphany and the second Sunday 
following.
6.	We are taught the practical consequences of being members of 
Christ's mystical body: the Second Reading for the Sundays in 
Ordinary Time following Epiphany.


 From the Western liturgy for December 17 at Vespers --

O Wisdom, which camest out of the mouth of the most High, and 
reachest from one end to another, mightily, and sweetly ordering all 
things: come and teach us the way of prudence.


 From the Byzantine liturgy for December 21 at Orthros

Creative Wisdom now draws near;

    The clouds of prophecies be opened and reveal;

   Grace shines down from the heavens;

    Truth radiates forth,

   Scattering the shadow of riddles.

    Adam exults

   For the gate of Eden opens once again:

    Our God, the Creator, permits Himself to be created.



  [from the latest newsletter of a Northern California branch of the 
organization 
(<http://www.thecentering.org/newsletter_winter00.html>http://www.thecentering.org 
) that promotes the practice of centering prayer, based on early 
Christian contemplative practices and popularized by Father Thomas 
Keating and others]


-- 
d  o  u  g    m  i  l  l  i  s  o  n  <http://www.online-journalist.com>