Advent IV 2009

The Eagle in the New Testament is a symbol of St. John. We find the symbol coming to life most fully in the Prologue of St. John's Gospel. Few birds or fowl fly as high as the Eagle. Few birds or fowl descend so quickly to the earth as the eagle. See how the Eagle soars, through John's spirit, at the beginning of His Gospel, mounting and aspiring up and through the clouds, back in time, soaring into the heart of God Himself, In the beginning, or really, bursting through time soaring into Eternity Itself, before all beginnings. "In the Beginning," more so than what Moses tells us in Genesis. For the eagle is found discovering a new beginning, at the commencement of what will follow. Moses says, "In the beginning God created." He speaks of Creation. In John, "In the Beginning was the Word." He speaks of what precedes the Creation. He tells of the Word "through whom all things are made."  There the soaring eagle has found its nest, for there the "Word is with God, and was God." But the Eagle descends quickly in John's spirit down to the earth and lights upon the flesh of human nature. "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." The Eagle ascends, but quickly descends, through John's Spirit down to and into the life of human flesh. For this is what concerns us most—"The Word made Flesh" near us and for us, even, can we say, in us? For the Eagle had landed; The Word was made Flesh, He dwelt with us, and was Full for us. What a mystery made flesh, an inconceivable descent made evident, so clear that we "saw Him with our eyes and handled Him with our hands". Oh mystery of Love's love, Desire's desire, of Speech's speaking...all into our flesh, our predicament, our nature. And the "Word made flesh that dwelt among us" so that we would soar with Him into the Present Now of the Father's embrace, in heart and spirit, and so then, with Him in us descend always to become Love's love, Desire's desire and Speech's speaking for any human being whom we should ever encounter. (Adapted after Lancelot Andrewes)

© W.J. Martin†