Categories: hymns
Date: 20 November 2004 02:11:36
| O Adonai, et dux domus Israël, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento. | O Mighty Lord, and leader of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and on Sinai gave him the law, come to redeem us with outstretched arm. |
I cannot even begin fathom the depths of the love of God in that Christ came to redeem us: through His perfect life showing us the way; through the free offering of His life to reconcile us with God; and through His defeat of death by His own death. Thanks and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
His perfect Life shows me the way I am to live. Christ, as the Divine Lawgiver, did not destroy the Law [which He Himself gave], but made clear its full significance -- and taught that the law is especially shown forth in the love of God and the love of one's neighbour ("On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.", Matthew 22:40) Jesus is the only one who fulfilled this, and who can fulfil it, and we look to Him as our example as we journey through life: an example I need constant reminding of.
My life is to be transformed completely transformed by Christ's Incarnation, which is the final act in our salvation and redemption. The Law given at Sinai helped to teach the Israelites, but, through the great love and mercy of God, we have been given the fuller and greater revelation in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Orthodox writers see Mary, the Mother of God, as the burning bush who contained, and was not consumed by, Christ. I need to become a burning bush, transformed and aflame with the fire of God's great love.
A story from the Desert Fathers reminds me of this:
Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, "Abba, as far as I can I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?" Then the old man stood up and stretched his hands towards heaven. His fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, "If you will, you can become all flame."