Roy Donovan: A response to the Incarnation

“Christianity’s true and unique story line has always been incarnation. That means that the spirit nature of reality (the spiritual, the immaterial, the formless) and the material nature of reality (the physical, that which we can see and touch) are one. They have always been one, ever since the Big Bang took place 13.7 billion years ago. The incarnation did not just happen when Jesus was born, although that is when we became aware of the human incarnation of God in Jesus. It seemingly took until 2,000 years ago for humanity to be ready for what Martin Buber (1878‒1965) called an I/Thou relationship with God. But matter and spirit have been one since “the beginning,” ever since God decided to manifest himself/herself as creation.”

This is from Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation – The Trajectory of Incarnation. Monday,  December 21, 2020

How can one justify using the present liturgical response “The Lord be with you. And with your spirit”? This is a denial of what is at the heart of creation/nature and the incarnation.
I came across this modern up to date response in the light of Laudato Si. “The Lord is with us. And with all creation”. The children love this response.

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4 Comments

  1. Paddy+Ferry says:

    Excellent, Roy.

    I have never responded “And with your spirit” and never will.

    Reply
  2. Pól Ó Duibhir says:

    A subtle endorsement of Tony Flannery’s thesis?

    Reply
  3. Paddy+Ferry says:

    And, Diarmuid O’Murchu’s too.

    How blessed we are to have men like Tony and Diarmuid to give us grown up mature theology.

    Reply
  4. Kyril Rocha says:

    Congratulations, Roy Donovan. Very wise and opportune your reflection.
    By the way, in Portuguese-speaking countries the same liturgical response is like this: The Lord be with you. He is among us. (O Senhor esteja convosco. Ele está no meio de nós.) The idea behind (it) is the People of God, rediscovered in Vatican II.
    Please, forgive my broken English.

    Reply

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