A Greater Sacrifice?

A Greater Sacrifice?

In Holy Week, our Lord

gave up His life

for us and died

alone, betrayed,

abandoned. We know

no greater sacrifice

than this – to die

for others.

And yet, some thirty

years and more

before, the Holy

Word of God

gave up His Godhood

in exchange for

human birth and

mortal life.

The Word that breathed

across the chaos

at the start of

all creation,

that breathed into

being galaxies,

planets, elements and

evolution,

the Word that shaped

the life we know –

bacteria, fish

and people –

that Word forsook

His Godly ways

to be born a babe

in Bethlehem.

The All-Knowing

relinquished

knowledge for an

infant’s word-

less cry; the All-

Powerful traded

power for an infant’s

helplessness;

the Ever-Present

willingly

confined Himself

to human time and space;

the Infinite

found limits

in an infant’s

tiny world.

In Holy Week, our Lord

gave up his Life,

and this we hymn

with gratitude for

all his sacrifice.

In Christmastide, our Lord

was born, a baby held

in Mary’s arms. .

The Love that led our

Lord to death has

led our God to birth.

Rejoice! Rejoice, you

faithful, at this

wondrous sacrifice!

As we raise our alleluias,

Let us sing “Thanks be to God!”

Sr. Sue Elwyn, SSJD