The Inside Skinny on the Incarnation

Christmas is a time for clothes. It’s one of the few times that I actually notice clothes. I am no clotheshorse or trendsetter. Thanks to Christmas, I have never bought a pair of underwear … for myself. Ever.

Christmas finds even the houses, trees, and pets clothed in festive array. During the season you will see some of the oddest outfits that you will ever see — and many of the prettiest will remain on the mannequin; ‘tis the dressiest time of the year.

Christmas and clothes … go hand in hand. In fact, at some age, usually in your late teens, for some reason, most of the Christmas presents you receive become clothes. For this I am truly grateful,else I might still be wearing platform shoes and silk shirts. (Wait. Are those back in style yet?)

Contrary to that song, Santa Baby, sung by the mis-named singer, Madonna, it’s not about Santa – or, really, the Baby. The reason for the Feast and the season is: God became flesh. The Word was clothed in human flesh. Within the Virgin Mary the Word was clothed with human flesh … and Christ, the Son of God — eternal and before the ages — was born a babe. Jesus: God dressed in human flesh …

Yet it may happened during the holiday season that we ask ourselves: “Am I doing this right? Is this the way to celebrate the birth of Christ?”

What is the right way to celebrate the birth of the Saviour? No matter how we answer this question, one thing is certain: CLOTHES. We’ll put them on, we’ll try them on, we’ll give them, and we’ll receive them. We may find that we’ve outgrown them. [This time of year does have a way of clothing us with a few more pounds.] Nonetheless, somewhere amid all the cares, burdens, and worries of the Christmas season, you might ask yourself: “Am I doing this right?”

Whether we celebrate something once in a lifetime or annually we have a tendency to want to do it right — as if the moment depends on us! Usually, we overdo it. Our sinful pride clouds our vision. We think the more we do — the better things will be. We fall prey to the Serpent’s lie from the tree and view ourselves as gods.

Say, didn’t this lead to worries about clothing to begin with?

Speaking of which …

You know that part in the Book of Genesis where, when after the transgression, Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves from God because they were naked …

And, God makes them garments … garments of skin?

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

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