I Behold Him, Though Not Near       

Balaam’s oracle prophesies the Messiah: “I behold him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel” (Numbers 24). In Advent we often say that we need to bring Christ to birth. What does this mean? Evolution is birthing the Christ through a progression of unifying relationships and great complexity; that is, the whole universe is intended to become the fullness of Christ. Christ is always the future horizon of the cosmos.

Jesus is the Christ, who is the fully integrated person in whom God has revealed the Godself in the most complete way. ”In Jesus we see that the future of the universe is linked to the human community coming to full consciousness and ultimately toward evolution of spirit, from the birth of mind to the birth of the whole Christ.” How will we get there?  If creation is to become transformed into God, what took place in the life of Jesus must take place in our lives as well. Jesus shows us what it means to be a human person and the way to deepen our humanity toward the fullness of life. What took place in Jesus’ life must take place in ours as well, if the fullness of Christ is to come to be. As Ilia Delio writes: “Jesus is the Christ, the climax of that long development whereby the world becomes aware of itself and comes into the direct presence of God” (69-70).

Sing about this to the melody of “Rudolph.”

Body of Christ is made from cosmic dust from ancient stars.

            His cosmic earthly life is really just the same as ours.

            Jesus is not the exception;

            Yet there’s something very new.

            In him divides are passé; unity we’re called to do.

            Incarnation has emerged in our history

not because of Adam’s sin but because God’s love’s within.

            Now all things are related: that’s the really best Good News.

            Fullness of Christ is here now, for the Spirit is the glue.