Advent…What Child Is This?

The Christmas Carol “What Child Is This?” is a 16th century English melody with words written by William C. Dix in 1985. Here is a portion of the song…

“What child is this who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping? Why lies he in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians fear , for sinners here the silent Word is pleading. This, this is Christ the King.”

Such a beautiful expression of God’s grace is present in the phrase “for sinners the silent Word is pleading”. God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. He sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world though Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

This statue stands in a courtyard in Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast of Southern Italy. I can’t begin to tell you how beautiful is this place!

Mary is holding baby Jesus. Yet, this is not a typical pose of Madonna and Child in quiet serenity. Notice the intensity of feeling expressed. There is a fierce love present between these two. Mary is holding the Christ Child ever so tightly, with every sinew in her body feeling the passion of this embrace. The baby, who is not yet old enough to talk, is the full expression of the Word made flesh. God has come to dwell among us. And in His eyes, His hands, I see the phrase,”for sinners here the silent Word is pleading”. This. Child. Pleading.