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Saturday, December 26, 2009

Christmas Prefaces


There are three different prefaces for Christmas and each gives a slightly different view of how God is made visible in the Incarnation. Preface I tells us:
In the wonder of the Incarnation your eternal Word has brought to the eyes of faith a new and radiant vision of your glory. In him we see our God made visible and so are caught up in love of the God we cannot see.

Preface II tells us:
Today you fill our hearts with joy as we recognize in Christ the revelation of your love. No eye can see his glory as our God, yet now he is seen as one like us. Christ is your Son before all ages, yet now he is born in time. He has come to lift up all things to himself, to restore unity to creation, and to lead mankind from exile unto your heavenly kingdom.

Preface III says:
Today in him a new light has dawned upon the world; God has become one with man, and man has become one again with God. Your eternal Word has taken upon himself our human weakness, giving our mortal nature immortal value. So marvelous is this oneness between God and man that in Christ man restores to man the gift of everlasting life. In our joy we sing to your glory...

There is a great deal of theology contained in these Prefaces for Christmas and much for us to reflect on during the Christmas octave.

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