Spirit Fire

by Donna Mitchell-Moniak
Written December 2006

The image of a newborn baby laid in a manger is a striking one. It is an image of innocence. I am struck this Christmas by innocence: that which incarnated in the Christ, the innocence of his untouched mother, the innocence and faith of the man that would become his father, the innocence of kings from afar letting their hearts and a constellation guide them.

The incarnation of the Christ was the renewal of human innocence. And this was so powerful that forces of darkness tried to kill it out within days of Christ’s birth. Herod sent death soldiers out to find and kill every newborn or young child. This massacre is still called the Death of the Innocents.

Innocence had been lost since the flood, since our days of Atlantean consciousness. God was giving us another chance through reminding us of our childlike nature, of the innocence of a little child who must trust in those around to care, nurture, mentor, and shelter him. This means that each of us, if we are to live our innocence, would also be trusting, caring, nurturing, and kind. We would mentor one another in goodness not dogmas, in kindness not hate. This birth was so important three kings came to pay homage while one sought his demise.

For all the excellence of the Buddha and all that He brought humanity, it is striking that his birth and life were not dogged by violence. To me this speaks volumes of the intention behind the incarnation of the Christ. The dark forces did not try to kill the Buddha, nor skew his teaching. Yet the Christ’s message has been adjusted, politicized, and changed. Words that the Christ never said have been passed down as dogma and scripture, yet they are words of anger and separateness.

The Christ was light incarnate. The Buddha was too. Each human being is as well. The Buddha reminded us of our light. The Christ deepened that teaching by reminding us of our innocence. Innocence helps us see the sparkle in every day. It releases the joy that is in our hearts. Innocence is simple, easily understood, and cannot lie because it is unadorned. There is something very powerful in innocence; again, so powerful that the dark forces sought to stop it immediately.

Two thousand years ago a child was born. He was born of two innocent people, made strong by an inner faith not a dogmatic one. With the birth of the Christ the whole world was changed because of how he chose to be born, how he chose to incarnate. This Christmas we are invited to meditate on innocence and its power. That power is intended to change the world.