What good is it to me if this birth of the divine Son takes place

unceasingly but does not take place within myself? What good is it to me

for the Creator to give birth to his Son if I do not also give birth to him

in my time and my culture? This then, is the fullness of time: when the Son

of God is begotten in us.

 

Meister Eckhart – Medieval Christian Theologian

 

 

Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart’s life was changed by his experience of

looking down at the Earth from outer space.

He noted: “You go around the earth every 90 minutes. Then you begin to

recognize that your identity is with that whole globe, not just one part of

it. As you look down you can't imagine how many borders and boundaries you

cross -- again and again.

Still, you know there are thousands of people fighting over some imaginary

lines down there that you can't even see, and you wish you could say, ‘Hey,

look at that! What's important?’”

 

What is important?

 

Is it the chores and assisgnments that fill our days with noise. Or is it

the moments of being still and knowing that God is at work in our lives?

 

Theologian Meister Eckhart once wrote: “Each person has a vintage wine

cellar but they seldom drink from it.”

 

A schoolteacher received numerous gifts from his students each year at

Christmas. After awhile, he got pretty savvy about what the gifts were.

There would be a thin handkerchief box, so he knew it was a handkerchief

box. Instead of opening it, he put it in the closet and when he needed a

handkerchief, went in, got it and opened it up.

One time he needed a handkerchief, so he went into the closet, opened up a

thin handkerchief box but there was no handkerchief inside. Inside instead

was an antique pocket watch.

 

“Wow! I had an antique pocket watch all this time but I didn't know it

because it was wrapped in a handkerchief box."

 

Astronaut Rusty Schweikert, Meister Eckhart and the teacher grasped a

concept that would serve us all well as we realize the greatness and hidden

potential that lies within each one of us. As God’s children, there is

greatness and potential in us all, and it often defies the circumstances in

our lives.

 

”"We carry the treasure in earthen vessels." St. Paul