My wife and I just finished listening to the audio book of Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. It might not be “Christmas” themed per se, but I cannot stop thinking about Lewis’ idea of Christ as the God with a face. Lewis felt all the myths of ancient days held partial truths. It was not until Christ’s incarnation that the things of myths — the gods — entered history. Christ is the only God who has a face, who we can meet face-to-face. He is the myth which is wholly true.
It’s a remarkable notion to mull over during the Christmas season. Furthermore, here are a few works of art that remind me of how strange our savior is:
Kenosis
by Luci Shaw
In sleep his infant mouth works in and out.
He is so new, his silk skin has not yet
been roughed by plane and wooden beam
nor, so far, has he had to deal with human doubt.
He is in a dream of nipple found,
of blue-white milk, of curving skin
and, pulsing in his ear, the inner throb
of a warm heart’s repeated sound.
His only memories float from fluid space.
So new he has not pounded nails, hung a door
broken bread, felt rebuff, bent to the lash,
wept for the sad heart of the human race.Shaw’s poem reminds me Christ had a body, just like mine (which is still reminding me of it’s corporeal qualities as I just cannot get rid of this cough). Christ was born into the most mundane and modest circumstances — captured well by Gari Melcher:
The Nativity, 1891
by Gari Melcher
The exhausted Mary rests.
If you haven’t noticed already, I enjoy visceral and simple art. I am not against the grand and ostentatious, it just doesn’t resonate with me as deeply. I prefer paired down, earnest art. Melcher’s Nativity reminds me of one of my favorite carols sung by David Bazan, a unique musician. He started his career as a professing Christian and then openly abandoned the faith. Still, he recorded an album of Christmas carols which seem to me filled with love — although tinged with doubt and dismay. The First Noel is my favorite:
I will end with a video and wish you a very Merry Christmas. Here is perhaps one of the most sincere and warm videos on the internet. Malcolm Guite reading from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The scene when Santa Claus comes to Narnia:
I enjoyed this post very much.