Throughout the ages we have been longing to see the birth of a child that will show us what it means to be fully human.
Winter, 2016
+ My dear Friends,
On clear winter nights here in the Austrian Alps i never get tired of looking up to the glittering sky. Under the immense dome of stars arching above me, a strange longing grips my heart. I cannot name what i am longing for, but it makes me feel close to our ancestors throughout the ages who stood like this, looking up at the stars. They must have felt that same longing, for it triggered in their hearts images of hope, hope for a child of promise, the Star Child, whose birth would signal the arrival of a new age and bring peace to the world. The Great Mystery would shine forth in that child, the mystery of Life, of our own unfathomable human life.
Yes, throughout the ages we have been longing to see the birth of a child that will show us what it means to be fully human. And still we keep straining to see this dream of our deepest collective longing become reality. I like to think that the frightful upheavals we are undergoing now are labor pains – inevitable birth pangs if a new humanity is to be born.
16-year old Bagda and her son Asil
Last week, a friend took this picture of 16-year old Bagda and her son Asil, Syrian refugees in a Lebanese camp. In the beaming eyes of his mother, baby Asil is quite obviously a Star Child. And who knows? The child destined to peacefully shepherd the wolves and lambs of our society may be born somewhere right now, just as it has been born before, and more than once – Baby Shiva, the Baby Buddha, the child in the manger at Bethlehem. But that birth will help us only if it takes place within each one of us. But how? If in you and me a childlike trust in life is born; a trust that conquers fear.
The birth of the fearless Star Child within you – this is what i wish you from my heart as we pass through darkness into the growing light of a new year.
Your brother David
Baby Shiva, Baby Buddha, Baby Jesus
Br. David Steindl-Rast
William Blake used these words to identify the “Star Child” quality we see in this photo, “we all come in trailing clouds of glory.
Brothers Anselm and David spoke about this in their “Faith beyond Belief” re the “Spirit-Soul-Body connection” …Page 146….quoting 1 Cor 6:19 “the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” …and Br Anselm, ” The human being radiates from her body. When we look at a person we experience the ( Holy Spirit ) in the body. Only when Soul and spirit stream through the body can we experience them.”
So the obvious question is why do 99.999% of humanity some how lose their “Star Child” quality , even after the God-Man Joshua Emmanuel the Christ appeared on earth to demonstrate all the powers we as Human Beings potential have but some how they go dormant?
yes the Re-birth of the Beautiful Brilliant Star Child is what is required , because that is why and what we are here to do and experience fully again and behind that.
Be Well Be Present and stay safe
EdS
Just listened to a Lecture on Humility, the thrust of the talk was, “Just what is Humility?” It nots what we may have been taught. It has nothing to do with self-abasement (to lessen in dignity or status) but to elevate status to that of Holiness, infinite worth: to acknowledge our divine heritage in spite of appearances to the contrary. Jesus certainly was reported to be humble but he declared himself to be the Son of God, Light if the world… Hmmm…Perhaps we’ve been taught in error, he was known by and criticized for the social status of the people he associated with. Do you suppose what we need to learn,more than anything else,is the unimaginable worth and value of every living thing?
Dear Brother David,
I hold the book Gratefulness the heart of prayer! In my heart reading it, waiting practicing for the seedlings of the baby gratefulness to grow inside me. Your letter to me came from the same expectancy. Thank you! All my love to you, to gratefulness .org team and all who read this and to All others.
You truly can see the universe in the eyes of a child.
Br. David,
Thank you for this essay. For me it is a gift shining brightly in a world that desperately needs to hear this message.
I am very grateful for this website, and your messages of Hope and Light.
Well said. I echo your sentiments.