A journey of the soul – Day 22
In the light of Advent
Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli
KwabaseKolose 1
1 kuThimothewu 1
Four weeks before Christmas marks the start of Advent. We can then start counting the days to Christmas. The star of Advent undoubtedly is Christ. During the year, we are so intent on ourselves, our own families and dealing with our own difficulties, that this month offers us a chance to focus on the run up to the Christmas story.
Amid the many saviours and messiahs who have come and gone throughout history, Jesus stands, not as a footnote to any philosophy or as an inaccessible bit of ethics that only a small group of people understands. Nor does he appear as some or other shaman or holy man who promises to bring you closer to God, or take you on your a journey of self-discovery.
Who is he? He is the Divine and has been in existence from before time and space. Unlike man, he is not created in the image of God; he is God himself.
He is God the Creator because, “by him all things were created, visible as well as invisible”.
He is the “head” of his church on earth because he was the first to conquer death. More importantly, God has chosen to reside in him with all power and might, and to make him visible to us.
We are not dealing with a mere image of God or a mere helpless child in a manger. Christ stands as Pantocrator – ruler of the universe. However, the most profound truth about Christ is that he made himself vulnerable to be born in our hearts.
