In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God…
And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father’s only son,
full of grace and truth.
John 1.1, 14
O Lord, your mother
is a cause for wonder;
you joined yourself to her
and became a servant;
the Word entered
and became silent within her;
thunder entered
and made no sound;
the Shepherd of all entered,
and in her became the Lamb,
bleating as he came forth.
Your mother’s womb has reversed the roles:
the Establisher of all entered in richness,
but came forth in poverty;
the Exalted One entered,
but came forth in meekness;
the Majestic One entered,
but came forth in lowliness.
The Mighty One entered,
and put on insecurity from her womb;
the Provider of all entered
and experienced hunger;
the One who gives drink to all entered
and experienced thirst;
naked and stripped
there came forth from her
the One who clothes all.
Nativity 11.6-8
St Ephrem the Syrian, 306-373
