Day 32 · The Nativity Fast
He Appeared upon Earth
“This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of him. He hath found out all the way of knowledge, and hath given it unto Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved. Afterward did he shew himself upon earth, and conversed with men.”Baruch 3:35-37
Reflection
The book of Baruch, part of the Old Testament in the Orthodox Church's Bible though not in most Protestant Bibles, praises the wisdom of God and then makes an astonishing statement: “Afterward did he shew himself upon earth, and conversed with men.” The Church reads this passage at Vespers on Christmas Eve, hearing in it the coming of God's eternal Word and Wisdom in the flesh. The God whom no one could reach by searching has come to find us, to walk and talk with us.
A prayer
Wisdom of God, you showed yourself upon earth and lived among us. I could never find you by my own searching, but you have come to find me. Let me walk with you and speak with you, today and every day. Amen.
Carry this with you
Spend a few minutes simply talking to Christ, as to a friend who has come to stay.