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January 6, 2024God became man – this is the fundamental claim of Christianity. The God who in his power and might created everything which exists is the very same God who entered into the world in order to redeem it. This is what we have been celebrating throughout the Christmas season. In a particular way, today’s readings call to mind just how God came into the world.
The Gospel of Luke presents the genealogy of Jesus and traces his origins all the way back to “Adam, the son of God.” Luke could have contented himself with saying that Jesus is the Son of God, but the genealogy is important enough that he lays it out in excruciating detail. By doing so, Luke reminds us that yes, Jesus is God, but he’s also taken upon himself human nature – our human nature. St. Athanasius reminds us of the tremendous significance of this: he says that “the Son of God became man so that we might become God.”
At the Incarnation, God united human nature to himself. In so doing, he paved the way for each of us to be intimately united with him for all eternity. As the first letter of St. John reminds us, “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” By our baptism, we were made members of the body of the Son, Jesus Christ. May we grow closer to him in this Christmas season and beyond, so that, fully united with him, we may enter into his glory for all eternity.
[click here for the readings of the day]