Day 19: The Incarnation in Our Suffering World – From the writings of Caryll Houselander – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

Christ was born not because there was joy in the world, but because there was suffering in it. Not to riches, but to poverty. Not to satiety but to hunger and thirst. Not to security, but to danger, to exile, to homelessness, to destitution and crucifixion.

His incarnation now, in us, is in the suffering world as it is; it is not reserved for a Utopia that will never be; it does not differ from His first coming in Bethlehem, His birth in squalor, in dire poverty, in a strange city. It is the same birth, here and now. There is incarnation always, everywhere.

Commentary:  Caryll Houselander reflects on the profound reality of Christ’s Incarnation, emphasizing that He entered the world not in comfort but in suffering, poverty, and vulnerability. Christ came to meet humanity in its brokenness, and Houselander reminds us that His presence continues to dwell within the hardships and suffering we encounter today. His Incarnation is not only a historical event but an ongoing reality in our lives, as Christ is continually “born” in our own moments of poverty, pain, and uncertainty. For Catholics, this resonates with the call to see Christ in the marginalized, the suffering, and the forgotten, understanding that He is especially present in places of need.

Personal Reflection: Today, reflect on an area of suffering in your life or in the world around you. How can you recognize Christ’s presence there, meeting you in that place? Consider how you might bring hope and compassion to a person or situation where His love is needed.

Caryll Houselander “The Passion of the Infant Christ”