Incarnation – God Is WITH and AMONG US, not in a distant.

I heard the song above ‘From a Distance” over the radio today, and I believe since it’s a Saturday (rest day for me) why not I write my thoughts on this song. It was written in 1985 by the American singer-songwriter Julie Gold. Julie Gold has stated that she believes in an immanent beneficent God, and also thinks that people have a right to interpret the song any way they want, as with all art. She has stated that the song is about the difference between how things appear to be and how they really are. ("Julie Gold and Her Songs", Here on Earth - Radio Without Borders, Wisconsin Public Radio, February 19, 2005).

I first heard this song sometime in 1990 when I was at a vocation camp. But today when I heard it again, I somehow felt the idea in that song that God is in a distant watching us is kinda absurd. As a Catholic, with conviction I believe that God is not in a distant, he is very much close to each and every one of us no matter what our religious beliefs are. Maybe we are ‘in a distant with’ God, but He is not; God is always with us and constantly reaching out to us. Immanuel = ‘God-is-with-us’ (Mt.1: 23) Jesus too assured us that we should not be afraid for He is with us always, yes, to the end of times (Mt.28:20).  

Now the very meaning of the incarnation of Jesus is itself an act of love from God to tell all of us that He is not in a distant. He sends His son to be with and among us. This is a revelation of God himself to all people. God becoming man. (Jn1:14). Incarnation = taking flesh (The noun incarnation derives from the ecclesiastical Latin verb incarno, itself derived from the prefix in- and “caro”, "flesh", meaning "to make into flesh" or "to be made flesh").  

 

Because of the incarnation, we can now be assured that God has knowledge of suffering. He is not distant from our pain. God died and rose again to save us all. We who are living in a distant with God due to our sinfulness, sufferings, doubts and unbelief are invited into His arms of love. Let us then go back to our faithful God who is constantly reaching out to us. I leave you now with one of my favorite song; 'You are mine' by David Hass. A beautiful song that reminds us that God Is With us.