The Risk of Birth, Christmas, 1973
This is no time for a child to be born,
With the earth betrayed by war & hate
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out & the sun burns late.
That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honour & truth were trampled by scorn–
Yet here did the Saviour make his home.
When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn–
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth
In this poem by Madeleine L'Engle, we are reminded that even against all odds, Love is born to the world at Christmas. A small, vulnerable child comes to show us a new way to live, marked by love and grace, not power and selfishness. We should be grateful for such a new beginning that makes way for our salvation.
