Hail Space for the Uncontained God

A Homily for Christmas Day 2024

In a late essay, reflecting on Luke chapter 2, verse 7: “…because there was no room for them in the inn,” Thomas Merton wrote:

“Those that lament the fact that there is no room for God must also be called to account for this. Have they perhaps added to the general crush by preaching a solid marble God that makes [men and women] alien to [themselves], a God that settles himself grimly like an implacable object in the inner heart of [human beings] and drives [them] out of [themselves] in despair?”

I preached recently on a Wisdom that enlightens a Vision and a Vision that opens upon a Mission. This celebration of Christmas gives us the definitive Wisdom: “God is with us!” Which then leads to the definitive Vision: “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.” And this leads to the definitive Mission to which we are all called: Make Room for the Light!

According to a 6th century hymn from the Greek Orthodox liturgy, the angel Gabriel greets Mary with the words: “Hail space for the uncontained God!” That greeting had a particular meaning for Mary, but it also echoes down the ages to each one of us. We too are created to be “space” for “the uncontained God.”

Denise Levertov, in her poem “Annunciation,” uses this greeting as the epigraph for that poem in which she describes Mary as one who is offered “the astounding ministry… to bear in her womb infinite weight and lightness; to carry in hidden, finite inwardness, nine months of Eternity; to contain in slender vase of being, the sum of power — in narrow flesh, the sum of light.”

We too are offered, in our own particular way, this same “astounding ministry!” To bear infinite weight and lightness; to contain in slender vase of being, the sum of power; in narrow flesh, the sum of light. This is the glory of the Incarnation that continues to reverberate and unfold down the ages. This is the mission to which we all must give ourselves anew.

Or, perhaps, do we instead, in our fear, proclaim the message: “There is no room in this Inn!” Do we, in some way, add to “the general crush” of life by preaching that implacable, marble God that sends people fleeing their very selves in despair? Does our fear of expanding make others expendable? Does our fear of breaking break the hearts of our brothers and sisters?

Why are we afraid to love? I think it is because we fear love’s action in us. Love will expand us beyond our capacity; love will break open our hearts in order to contain multitudes. It is safer to limit love. It is safer to keep measure of just how much room we do and do not have. But there is nothing safe about the Incarnation!

Once again today, Christmas Day, we are each receiving that same ancient greeting: “Hail space for the uncontained God.” We too, like Mary, in our own particular way, are created to “contain in slender vase of being, the sum of power — in narrow flesh, the sum of light.”

In our world today doors are closing, hearts are closing, hospitality is becoming hostility, flesh more narrow, and light darkness. In so many ways we live in a world where there is “no room.” And the world of “no room,” which greeted Mary and Joseph, deforms God into an implacable, marble monster rather than a profoundly vulnerable and fleshy infant born to love until he gives himself utterly away. Not one who alienates us from ourselves or one another, but rather one who draws us to recognize ourselves in one another and in one another: God!

This Christmas Day our Wisdom, our Vision, our Mission once again is made clear to us: God is with us! The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it! So make room for the light!

This mission is simple, because it is not ours alone. It is the mission to love. There is a refrain from a contemporary Christian song that goes: “If you love better and I love better our love will live on forever.” Let us recommit ourselves this Christmas to love better by simple acts born of our own willingness to live our mission as a slender vase of being containing the sum of power; as narrow flesh containing the sum of light!

“Hail space for the uncontained God!

And Merry Christmas!