Christmas Advent Story 12/24/2023
This is Rev. Christine, today I’m sharing the nativity story of Jesus the Christ. Although, this took place some 2,023 years ago, we understand metaphysically this to be our individual soul’s story of spiritual awakening. Each Advent season we prepare ourselves for this spiritual birth to take place within us.
Our story begins with Mary and Joseph: The Christ in us is born when conditions are ready in our soul for this awareness to take place. What are these conditions? Joseph represents spiritual wisdom – the divine wisdom within that says yes to the birth of the Christ. It is the guiding protecting spirit that is needed for these fragile beginnings of something so sacred, so precious. Mary represents a pure love that is unselfish, unconditional and compassionate. She symbolizes the inner, devotional part of our soul that prays in the inner temple daily in order to give birth to greatness.
Spiritual wisdom, plus pure unselfish love – these are the conditions of the soul necessary for the birth of the divine revelation “Christ is within the hope and glory.” Divine guidance and the feelings of oneness must be brought together in unselfish and patient ways with our thoughts and feelings aligned to the word of God. Then our Christ Light shines in the world.
Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem. The word Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Metaphysically this is our soul’s spiritual nourishment. This is the place where our birth takes place. Bethlehem represents our “House of Bread” within our own soul. This is the place where the very substance of God feeds, nurturing our whole being. The Spirit and Substance of God is that place out of which every good thing takes shape and is born.
Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem seeking a room but there were no inns available due to the crowds of people. Have you ever denied the birth of a great potential in yourself because you were overcrowded with worldly, material or doubting thoughts? They found shelter that night in a manger where Mary gave birth that night. The birth can only take place in a mind that is humble, receptive and natural, represented by the gentle animals in the manger. It is in just such simplicity that greatness is born in you – in the manger of your heart, a great but simple place for the Christ in you to be brought forth.
Upon the birth there is a bright shining star pointing to where the newborn baby lays. It is the light that leads us to the appointed place of the birth. It represents in you and me that first glimmer of the light of Truth that eventually leads us to the awareness of our true identity – spiritual sons and daughters of God.
Baby Jesus represents that in us, which is our Real Truth. This is our real nature – the answer to our prayers. This is the new Christ babe in you. New beginnings are always fragile. This new Christ Child needs much nurturing. At first it is new, young and needs nurturing by spiritual wisdom and pure unselfish love.
Our wisdom guides in bringing forth this image and likeness of God in us. The Christ in us is our divine pattern, and it unfolds day-by-day, bringing forth, new joy and abundance. The Christ matures and grows strong, taking its rightful place in God’s divine humankind.
There were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. The flock represent our gentle, kind, and loving thoughts. Shepherds represents our observing self that awakens us from our senseless stream of thoughts to be conscious and mindful. In the night is being in a quiet and receptive state of mind to spiritual thoughts.
The shepherds hear of the Christ through spiritual messengers called angels. Angels are messengers of divine thoughts. “Fear not, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. A Savior is born to us – Christ the Lord.” Angels represent God ideas – the true messengers of Spirit that herald the coming of a new and greater life for us. As we open our heart to Divine ideas, they guide us to our new life – the one our soul is truly seeking right now. Angels bring us good tidings of great joy.
Then there came 3 wise men from the East searching for the newborn king. They were guided to the appointed place by following a bright star. When they came to the manger, they saw the young child with Mary and Joseph. And they kneeled before the baby, and opened their treasures and presented to him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The gold represents riches of the Spirit - wise and rich ideas - prosperity. Prosperity always comes to you when Christ is born in your heart. True prosperity is an awareness of God’s rich abundance in all things. Frankincense represents the innate beauty of the soul – the ability to see more beauty in the world and call it forth in others. Myrrh represents life – the eternal nature of Spirit – an ointment of love. These gifts to us are a healthy more abundant life; a life which flows through us when we act in loving ways, and are faithful to our Christ Self.
This is our nativity story. It is the story of the Christ being born in our heart today and everyday. Each day is a new beginning filled with the rich possibilities of Spirit. The potential of Christ within expressing in every circumstance of our life, every moment. This is what Christmas is all about. It is a time of giving and receiving the gifts of the Christ Spirit.
“Christ in you the hope and glory.” We can truly say to each other, “The Christ in me greets the Christ in you.” Merry Christmas!
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