Meditation awakens the heart to who we are at the deepest level of our being. In this season of Advent, as Christians we have faith that the spirit of God dwells in our hearts, loving to all. In this season of advent we recall that our practice of meditation is especially relevant because its purpose always is to give birth to Christ in our hearts.
The Nativity scene on the right is known as the Glasgow Nativity Scene (2006) but the artist appears to be unknown. I have used it here because it captures that sense of homelessness that so many experience today. Schools, secular and religious, work hard to promote equality and social justice in practical ways by asking families to donate food and clothing for those who are in poverty, or displaced or homeless. Our practice of whole-school meditation deepens our understanding of the needs of others and makes us kinder persons. This might be a good time of the year to play a song from our CD ‘Meditation with Children‘ which is available on Spotify, YouTube Music and other platforms. Perhaps ‘There is Goodness Inside‘ or ‘Love Make Your Way‘.
A Modern Nativity Scene
Giving Birth to Christ in Our Hearts
Ask the children in your class if they have ever experienced a bird becoming trapped in a room in their house because it flew in a window but couldn’t find its way out? Alan Hilliard tells such a story in ‘Dipping into Advent‘ on which a priest based his Christmas sermon. He simply told his congregation about a sparrow which became trapped in his house and how he tried to catch it so he could set it free. But the bird was frightened and kept flying away! The priest thought to himself that if he could just be like a bird for one minute he might gain its trust and be able to free it. Alan says his first thought was to wonder what kind of sermon was that on Christmas Day? But the priest added ‘I just told them, I said ‘Jesus became like us so that we could become like Him.’
And that is why we meditate; to allow Christ to be reborn in our hearts every day. As we meditate, our heart rests in the heart of God wh0 already rests deep within us.
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Kenosis by Luci Shaw
In sleep his infant mouth works in and out.
He is so new, his silk skin has not yet
been roughed by plane and wooden beam
nor, so far, has he had to deal with human doubt.
He is in a dream of nipple found,
of blue-white milk, of curving skin
and, pulsing in his ear, the inner throb
of a warm heart’s repeated sound.
His only memories float from fluid space.
So new he has not pounded nails, hung a door
broken bread, felt rebuff, bent to the lash,
wept for the sad heart of the human race.
Reflection on the Poem: This poem is called ‘Kenosis’. In Christian theology, kenosis (from ancient Greek, meaning ’the act of emptying”) refers to the ‘self-emptying’ of Jesus.
Malcolm Guite observes that this portrayal of the infant Jesus is in contrast to ‘many classic portrayals of Mary and the infant Jesus in art and iconography, in which he so often appears as somehow already grown up: a little king, richly robed, sitting up on his mother’s lap, haloed and dispensing blessings and wisdom! Instead, we get the detail of the ‘infant mouth’ working in and out, seeking the comfort of the breast. And this in itself conveys the kenosis perfectly.’
When we speak of kenosis in respect of Jesus, we are indicating our understanding that he set aside his own human desires to become entirely receptive to God’s divine will. As we saw in the story above, Jesus became like us so that we could become like Him. The poem paints a beautiful image of the intimacy of mother and child. We might say it is this kind of intimacy we hope for as we meditate; where we simply rest in stillness and silence in the presence of God.
Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas! Thank you for supporting the practice of whole-school meditation with the children in your class and school. It will bear fruit in their lives, not just in school and not just for now, but it brings fruits that can last a lifetime. And the practice is one that children can return to anywhere, anytime. Teachers too!
