That "the Word was made flesh" is great beauty for those who understand. "Far be it from me to glory," said one of the friends of the Bridegroom, "except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Its not enough that you are not ashamed by the cross; you must glory in it. Why, then, is the Bridegroom said not to have any beauty or fairness? Because Christ was crucified, a scandal to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. But why did he have beauty on the cross? Because the folly of God is wiser than men, the weakness of God is stronger than men. May the Bridegroom who is beauty wherever he is come to meet us who have come to believe.Beautiful as God, as the Word who is with God; beautiful in the womb of the Virgin, where he did not lose his divinity but assumed our humanity; beautiful when born, a Word who could not speak, because while he was still unable to speak, while he was being held and suckled, the heavens spoke, the Angels sang his praises, a star guided the Magi, he was adored in the manger, he who is food for the meek.Beautiful, then, in heaven, beautiful on earth, beautiful in the womb, beautiful in the arms of his parents, beautiful when he was performing miracles; beautiful when he was being scourged; beautiful in his invitation to life; beautiful in his scorn of death; beautiful in surrendering his life and in taking it up again; beautiful on the cross, beautiful in the tomb, beautiful in heaven.Augustine, En. in Ps. 44, 3.

Rev. Joseph A. Komonchak, professor emeritus of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of New York.

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