Advent Day 4: Humble Glory

Link to 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲’𝘀 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 reading here: https://tinyurl.com/yysjvwjm. ⁣ ⁣ 𝗣𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝟳𝟵 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗵 𝟱:𝟭-𝟱𝗮 𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝟮𝟭:𝟯𝟰-𝟯𝟴⁣ ⁣ A sublime being entering into a relationship with such a lowly being does no harm to his own reputation, yet raises that other being up from its lowness: this is precisely what was fulfilled in Christ. He did not diminish his divine nature in any way by this lowering of himself, yet we who had been living in darkness and disgrace were raised up to ineffable glory.⁣ –St. John Chrysostom⁣ ⁣ At the heart of the Christian faith lies the belief that God sees, loves, and welcomes the forgotten, the marginalized, and the downhearted. In a world that values and celebrates the strong and powerful, time and time again, in word and deed, Jesus reminds us that weakness and humility are the way to glory and the path of lasting peace. In this way, Advent is a persistent reminder of the upside down nature of God’s kingdom.⁣ ⁣ The lowliness of the Incarnation was foretold long ago. As Micah reminds us, it is from Bethlehem, “one of the little clans of Judah,” that the true king of Israel will come, one who “shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD (Mic. 5:2, 4). From these humble origins, Jesus continues to invite us to tend to that which is often overlooked, neglected, and undervalued. Do not be weighed down by the worries of this life (Lk. 21:34), but learn to see the glory of God breaking in all around you. It is the mustard seed that grows to give shade and rest to all who draw near (Mt. 13:31-32). It is yeast, small and unseen, that leavens the entire loaf (Lk. 13:20-21).⁣ ⁣ In a season filled with countless distractions and sources of potential stress, it is easy to ignore the humble hope of Advent and the tender compassion of our Lord. Similarly, we may be tempted to believe that the cares of life are of little interest to our Lord. Surely, he has more important things demanding his time and attention! Yet in the quiet humility of the manger in Bethlehem, we are reminded once again, there is n