God the (New) Father

At this time of year, my spiritual thoughts generally turn to Mary and to the baby Jesus, God made radically vulnerable and approachable.  This year, however, I find myself contemplating the idea that God had an identity transformation of sorts at that first Christmas – the day when God became a parent.

I’ve pondered this truth about God before, usually during Holy Week or when confronted with a human parent suffering the loss or illness of their child.  God knows what it is to lose a child; I find this a comforting thought and one that often supports others in the face of such tragedy.

But at Christmas, the experience God is sharing with us is that of becoming a parent.  God knows what it is to look at your baby for the first time, to hear the cry for the first time, to have life rearrange itself around this new fact for the first time.  At Christmas, God was made radically vulnerable not just in the person of the Son but also in the person of the Father.

I wouldn’t want to develop this thought much further.  It’s not a systematic theology kind of thought but rather an intuitive faith kind of thought; it’s a thought to pray with and play with rather than construct careful theories and understandings with.  I think we need both kinds of thoughts and the prayerful, playful ones seem particularly appropriate at this time of year, in the rush and fun and madness of December.  Carve some time for yourself to try this thought out in silence; let it tickle your brain and your heart as you go about all the things that need gone about; see what happens if you parent with it in mind.  And let me know how it goes.