He so loved us that, for our sake,

He was made man in time,

although through him all times were made.

He was made man, who made man.

He was created of a mother whom he created.

He was carried by hands that he formed.

He cried in the manger in wordless infancy,

he the Word, without whom all human eloquence is mute.

St. Augustine

It’s quiet in the Sandlin house this morning. My teenagers don’t bounce out of bed as quickly as they used to. That’s ok. In the quiet of the morning, I’m able to reflect on the greatest of gifts, the gift of the incarnation.

We have heard the news of the Word that became flesh so often that it sometimes fails to impress. Even a little reflection on God’s Christmas condescencion should fill our minds with awe.

Yesterday, we spent time chatting with my wife’s sister’s family overseas. We watched my niece and nephew open presents (it was already Christmas where they live). We laughed at my niece as she attempted to figure out what was happening. We even giggled at her frustration as she tried, unsuccessfully, to get to some of her brother’s toys.

Frustration is par for the course for young children. I remember how frustrated John Curtis used to get as a todler. At that age his doing and thinking progressed faster than his speaking. On numerous occasions John Curtis would say something which made perfect sense to him but to my adult ears sounds something like “blah-blah” (think a reversal of Charlie Brown’s teacher here).

I’d ask, “Do you want a drink?”

He’d respond, “No” – a word he articulated clearly – and then say again “more ‘blah-blah.’”

I’d try something else, “A snack?”

“No. More ‘blah-blah.’”

“To sit with Daddy?”

“No! More ‘blah-blah.’”

“To go back to bed?”

“NO! MORE ‘BLAH-BLAH!’”

I can understand why the boy got frustrated. I got frustrated for him (and in weaker moments with him). I wanted to comfort him with the thought that he’d soon outgrow this particular limitation. He would, but the truth is, there will be others. So goes the constraints of our humanity.

As I pause this Christmas DAy and think once more of the incarnation I wonder what it was like for God Almighty to be God-the-toddler. Was it frustrating for the God who spoke the universe into being to be forced to learn to use lips and tongue to form the most basic of requests? Did he get frustrated when Mary and Joseph looked down at him in their own frustration, not having a clue what he was talking about? Like any two year old (but unlike any of them, as well), I’m sure he did. Why did God submit himself to such troubles and many more? St. Augustine put it well, because he loved us.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us – John 1:14

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