In this article I would like to propose that Christmas represents the ultimate destiny and the purpose of the whole of creation, of all religions and of every individual. It is the universal call to be spiritual virgins. It is giving birth to eternity, transforming time as the vehicle of eternity so that each moment of our life becomes Christmas, the birth of God or incarnation of God. It is to propose that spiritual virginity is the force that propels the universe in the process of its evolution to reach its ultimate destiny and purpose.
There are two important feasts which all the Christians celebrate: Christmas and Easter. These two feasts communicate the same essential truth or message: it is the message of unity and peace. Christmas is the birth of eternity in Time. It is the birth of unity and peace. Easter is the victory of unity and peace over divisions and violence. It is the birth of Time into Eternity. When Christ was born the angels appeared and sang: ‘Glory to God in the highest and peace to the people of good will on the earth’ (Luke:2,14). When Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, he said: ‘peace be with you’. (John:20,19).
Christmas is the birth of the Son of God. The Son of God is the universal consciousness or universal human being, the birth of eternity in Time, the incarnation of Eternity in Time. The Son of God breaks down all the barriers and brings unity with the whole of creation and unity with God. St. Paul says very beautifully that Christ, the Son of God, came into the world to proclaim peace but he himself is our peace. How did you do that? By breaking down the wall of hostility between the Jews and the Gentiles he created one human kind in the place of two (at that time) and thus brought peace in the world(Cf.Eph:2:14-17). The Son of God means unity, unity with God and unity with the whole of creation. This unity brings peace in the world. For this birth of the Son of God, God needs a virgin, a spiritual virgin, who cooperate with the plan of God. In the New Testament we are given two important and powerful archetypes: King Herod and Virgin Mary.
King Herod represents Time that seeks its continuity. It means that the past uses the present to go into the future. It signifies that the present has no life of its own but is only a vehicle for the past to go into the future. In this sense the past kills the present and also the future because the future is nothing but the continuation of the past. King Herod was called a murderer of innocent children, not only physically but also psychologically and spiritually because he has chosen the newborn children for his continuity before they are born. In this sense he was a murderer of innocent children. The Virgin Mary represents Time that does not seek its continuity but opens to eternity and gives birth to eternity. The Virgin Mary transforms Time into the vehicle of eternity. In this sense the Virgin Mary fulfils the purpose of Time in that the ultimate vocation of Time is not to seek its continuity but to give birth to Eternity. In Virgin Mary Time become a spiritual virgin.
God or Truth has two aspects: Historical and Eternal. When Moses asked God his name, first God said: I am what I am. This was God’s eternal aspect. But it was very difficult for Moses to relate with that eternal aspect so God told him: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. It was God’s historical aspect. Moses was able to recognize God as the God of his ancestors and relate to him
(Cf.Exodus:14-17). The historical aspect of God is that which God manifested in human history, in time and space. All scriptures and all religions belong to this historical aspect. In general, these historical truths think that they are eternal truth and seek their continuity. The difficulty with historical truths is that they divide humanity in the name of scriptures and religions. These divisions contribute to violence in the world. To bring unity and peace into the world, God needs a spiritual virgin. Spiritually a virgin is one who discontinues or transcends the God of history and gives birth to the God or Truth of eternity, ‘I am what I am’. This eternal truth breaks down all the barriers and divisions and brings unity and peace in the world. The Virgin Mary was called by God to transcend the God of history or divisions and give birth to the God of eternity, the God of unity and the God of peace. There is no conflict between the God of history and the God of eternity. They are not two Gods but the same God. The historical aspect of God is like the womb of God where human beings are prepared to make the transition from the historical God to the God of eternity. The problem comes when human beings believe that the historical truth is the eternal truth. This closes the door to the God of eternity and blocks the spiritual evolution of human beings. It contributes to divisions and violence in the world.
Human beings are a combination of two identities: historical and eternal. Our physical body and collective identifications belong to the historical aspect; they belong to time and space. Our image and likeness of God and our unity with God belong to the eternal aspect. In our historical aspect we experience the God of history and in our eternal aspect we experience the God of eternity. We need to make this transition from our historical identifications to our eternal identify. Jesus Christ calls this process ‘repentance’, it is to be born again as the sons and daughters of eternity (John:1,12-13).
Jesus himself made this transition from the God of history to the God of eternity at the moment of his baptism. He transcended his physical identity and his Jewish identity, that belong to time and space, and realized his eternal identity as the Son of God and one with God. He declared: ‘ the Father and I are one’ (John:10,30). In this sense he became a virgin spiritually. He transcended the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and experienced the God of ‘I am what I am’. He declared: ‘Before Abraham was I am'(John:8,58). He even realized that he was one with that ‘ I am what I am’. Only a spiritual virgin can make this transition from the historical truth to the eternal truth, from the God of history to the God of Eternity. The God of eternity does not abolish the God of history but fulfills him or her. Jesus Christ said,’ I have not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them’ (Matthew:5,17). He also said that ‘the Sabbath was made for human beings and not human beings for the Sabbath’ (Mark:2,27). The Sabbath represents the historical truth. The historical truth is meant to be at the service of human beings.
When Jesus began his ministry he proclaimed his good news saying, ‘the Time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the good news’ (Mark:l,14-15). This proclamation can be understood in two ways: subjective and objective. Subjectively it is the personal experience of Jesus. Objectively it is an invitation to everyone to experience this good news. Jesus had the experience of the kingdom of God and he invited everyone to discover the kingdom of God.
The Time is fulfilled, or the time has come to an end: this means that time has reached its culmination.
It cannot go any further. It is like a pregnant woman whose time has come to give birth. The time of
preparation has reached its end. The womb cannot hold the baby anymore. It is the time to give birth into eternal or to give birth to eternity.
The kingdom of God is at hand: The birth of God or eternity has taken place. The rule of God has arrived. The eternity is here and now. Time has become the vehicle of eternity. The God of history has come to an end; the God of eternity is here. The divisions have come to an end; unity is here. The violence has come to an end; peace is here. The burdens have come to an end; freedom is here.
Repent: Discover this truth. Fulfill time, transcend time, and transform time. Transcend your identities of time and space and discover your eternal identity. Transcend the God of history and discover the God of eternity. Become spiritual virgins to give birth to eternity, the rule of God. Our eternal identity is like the treasure hidden in the field. It is like a precious pearl. To discover our eternal identity is to discover the hidden treasure, to find a pearl of great value. It is finding the kingdom of God. It is within us but we are not aware of it. We are living in ignorance. Jesus came to tell humanity that the kingdom of God is within everyone and invited everyone to discover it.
BELIEVE IN THE GOOD NEWS: before we discover the kingdom of God within, we need to believe that it is within us then only we can search for it. Let us describe this through a parable:
Once there was a poor man who was living in a small hut outside a village. Every day he went to the village to beg for his food. One day a holy man was passing that way. It was evening so he took shelter in the hut of the poor man. The next day, as he was leaving, he called the poor man and said: under your hut there are precious diamonds. Dig and you will find. Saying this, the holy man left. As soon as the holy man left, the poor man dug in his house and found the precious diamonds. He stopped going to the village to beg and lived like a rich man. He was very rich with the diamonds but was living like a beggar not knowing the diamonds present under his hut.
This is the good news Jesus Christ came to tell humankind. He saw that humanity was like the poor man living like a beggar not knowing that the precious diamonds were present within. He told humanity: the treasure of the kingdom of God is within you. Repent, dig inside and you will find it. The first step is to believe in this good news that the kingdom of God is within us and then dig within to find it. Discovering the kingdom within us is the celebration of Christmas. Only a spiritual virgin can facilitate the birth of God, the birth of eternity, the birth of unity and the birth of peace. The call of annunciation is not limited to one particular individual. It is a call to the whole of creation in all its levels. The Virgin Mary represents the whole of creation. Creation is the product of time so Christmas is an invitation to time to become a spiritual virgin.
Time has to become a Spiritual Virgin: Time has to become a spiritual, virgin to give birth to eternity. If Time seeks its continuity, then it becomes like King Herod, the murderer of innocent present, innocent children. Time has many layers in the process of evolution. Matter that comes from the Big Bang has to become a virgin so that it gives birth to life, vegetation. Vegetation the has to become a virgin so that it gives birth to animal world. The animal world then has to become a virgin so that it gives birth to self-conscious human beings. Human beings have to become virgins so that they give birth to religions,and religious beings. Religions then have to become virgins so that they give birth to sons and daughters of God, who manifest the divine attributes of love and compassion in human relationships. The sons and daughters of God then have to become virgins so that they give birth to the unity with God and say: God and I are one. With this realization time comes to an end; time is fulfilled. It is virginity that takes evolution to its ultimate goal. St. Paul says very beautifully that the whole of creation is eagerly groaning to give birth to the sons and daughters of God. The purpose of the evolution of creation is to give birth to the sons and daughters of God and ultimately unity with God.
If Matter seeks only its continuity then it becomes like King Herod. Matter produces matter, materialism. No life will come; no vegetation will come. If vegetation seeks only its continuity then it becomes like King Herod. It does not allow the birth of the animal world. If the animal world seeks its continuity then it becomes like King Herod and no human beings will emerge. If human beings seek only their continuity then they become like King Herod, and there is no possibility of religions, or higher meaning of life. If religions seek only their continuity then they become like King Herod and there is no birth of sons and daughters of God. If the sons and daughters of God seek only their continuity then they become like King Herod and there is no growth into unity with God. In this sense, it is the virgin archetype that propels the process of evolution. Virginity has been operating from the beginning of the matter, the big bang. At every level there is the possibility of becoming either Kind Herod or the Virgin Mary. We can now reflect on the important levels of virginity for our spiritual evolution today.
All physical parents have to become virgin parents
In order to give birth to the sons and daughters of God all physical parents have to become virgin parents. It means realizing that the children born to them do not belong to them but belong to God. Until the time of Mary and Joseph, physical parents claimed that the children belonged to them; they were their property. They might possibly have conceded that the children were a gift of God but that they belonged to them. Mary and Joseph said that the child born to them did not belong to them but that he belonged to God. They were only foster parents to God’s child. They were at the service of this child to help it to realize its unique vocation in the plan of God. It is a beautiful scene in which Mary and Joseph worship their child in the crib as the child of God.
This means that all physical parents should become virgin parents. They should choose their children for eternity and not for the continuity of their desires, ambitions, and goals. If physical parents choose their children to fulfil their ambitions and goals then they become like King Herod. It is as if they kill them; the children have no life of their own but live only to fulfil the ambitions of their parents. We have the famous story in the Old Testament, the story of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham had no children, and he did not want to die without a son. He wanted to secure his continuity. He prayed to God for a son and God promised that Abraham would have a son. Isaac was born to Sarah, and Abraham was very happy. But then God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son. This story used to disturb me. I thought God was being very cruel to Abraham. He gave only one son and asked him to sacrifice that only son. As I reflected on this story, I realized that actually it was Abraham who was being cruel and not God. Abraham wanted Isaac for his continuity. Isaac had no life of his own but lived only for the continuity of Abraham. In this sense Abraham’s desire for his continuity killed Isaac. In telling Abraham to sacrifice his son, God was actually asking him to kill his desire for continuity, and so give Isaac life. God knew that Isaac lives for eternity not for continuity. When Abraham was ready to kill physical Isaac it really meant he was ready to die without his continuity, Not only did Isaac got back his life, Abraham now lived for eternity just as he chose Isaac for eternity. Abraham with his desire for continuity is King Herod. Abraham without his desire is the Virgin Mary. Abraham had to become a spiritual virgin to give life to Isaac. This is the same for all physical parents. All physical parents have to become virgin parents. They should live for eternity and should choose their children for eternity.
So that they can give birth to the sons and daughters of God ,all religions have to become virgin religions. Just as Abraham eventually chose Isaac for eternity, religions should choose their followers for eternity and not for the continuity of the religion. In this way, if religions choose their followers for their continuity they become like King Herod, taking away the life and dignity of their followers. It is human beings who give continuity to religions but God’s plan is that every human being is born for eternity and not for the continuity of religions. This means all religions should bring up their followers as God’s children. Religions can be thought of as nannies for God’s children. When human beings are used for the continuity of religions then seeds of division, conflict and violence are sown in the world. This is so because as human beings grow with a particular religious identity, this identity crates a collective boundary. This boundary needs to be protected and there is always the possibility of ambition to expand this boundary. Where there is a need to protect one’s boundary and the ambition to expand one’s boundary there is inherent division and violence. With this division and violence, one cannot become an instrument of unity and peace. If all human beings are brought up as the children of God, then we sow the seeds of unity and peace in the world. Hence the call of God to all religions is to become spiritual virgins, to choose their followers for God, for eternity and not for their own continuity. Religions are meant to be at the service of human beings and not human beings at the service of religion. When human beings serve religions, they add to the violence. When religions serve human beings then there is no place for violence. Jesus Christ said, ‘Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God’. The sons and daughters of God in peace and become instruments of peace.
It is not only physical parents and religions which have to become spiritual virgins but also great spiritual persons have to become spiritual virgins. It means that they should choose their followers for eternity, for God and not for their continuity. To choose others for their continuity is to take away their uniqueness and dignity. It is to make others into second hand human beings. It is like King Herod. A spiritual virgin chooses everyone for eternity and not for continuity. A spiritual virgin washes the feet of his or her disciples. A spiritual virgin says, ‘I no longer call you servants … but I called you friends’ (John:15,15). A person who lives in eternity says: ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ (John:14,6). He or she lives his or her life as if walking on water. A person who walks on water does not follow the traces left by others and does not leave traces for others. It is freedom from the past and gives freedom to the future. To be free from the past is greatness. To give freedom to the future is humility. Eternal truth makes people free. Truth will make you free, declared Jesus (John:8,32). A spiritual Herod wants everyone for his or her continuity. A spiritual Virgin chooses everyone for the life of eternity. Jesus Christ was a spiritual virgin.
God also has to become a spiritual virgin: God also has to become a spiritual virgin. It means that the God of history does not choose people for his or her continuity but for eternity. The God of history prepares human beings for the God of eternity. If the God of history chooses people forhis continuity, then he is just like King Herod. The God of history demands the submission of will and intellect of the people. God becomes the God of authority. He/she demands loyalty and creates a collective consciousness. The God of eternity does not demand the submission of will and intellect. He/she gives freedom to human being. God is the God of silence. God reveals to human beings who they are and that self-revelationbecomes the way, the truth and the life. God is the God of unity. The God of history, as a spiritual virgin, chooses people for the God of eternity.
Every individual has to become a spiritual virgin
The call of every human being is to become a spiritual virgin. A spiritual virgin says, ‘My life is not my life but God’s life. My actions are not my actions but God’s actions. My children are not my children but God’s children’. A spiritual virgin makes the transition from ‘I” to God. Mary was a spiritual virgin. She said, ‘your will be done’. Jesus Christ was a spiritual virgin. He said,’ the works which I do are not my own but the Father who dwells in me does his works’. A spiritual virgin is at the service of God, a vehicle of God. The ego represents King Herod; it claims to be the author of all its actions, the author of its life, the owner of its children. Ego uses God as its instrument; it aims to put God at its service. The ego can be individual ego, a collective ego or a universal ego.
The spiritual virgin: a parable
Imagine that every human being has a black box inside and that all one’s actions are recorded there. On the day of Judgment the angels do not ask questions but take the black box, have a look to see what human beings have done and then pass the judgment.
It was the day of judgment. The angels were taking all the black boxes and putting them into the machines and passing the judgment. The turn of the Virgin Mary came. They took her black box and put into the machine. They were surprised to see that it was completely empty. Mary, what happened? Have you not done anything? Why is your black box empty? Did you put a virus and destroyed everything? Mary replied, ‘God did not create me to do things. God created me to allow God to work in me. All my life I allowed God to work in me. I do not know whether I have done good or bad. If you wish to know you must ask God. If I say I have done any action that would be my greatest sin because God did not create me to act but allow God to act in and through me’. The angels then declared her as the queen of heaven.
The Virgin Mary lived all her life but her black box was empty. She was virgin. Her married life and birth of a child did not take away her virginity. She is the model of our spiritual life. Mary represents the whole of creation. The call that she received from God to be a virgin is for the whole of creation. When Mary said, ‘yes’ the whole of creation said yes in and through her.
The purpose of creation is to become a spiritual virgin and give birth to eternity, the Child of God. For Christians in Mary and Jesus creation has reached its final destiny. For Mary and Jesus each moment is the birth of God, each moment is incarnation, each moment is Christmas. They invite every human being to becomes spiritual virgins and celebrate Christmas each moment. But human beings, individually and collectively, also canbecome like King Herod and block the evolution of human consciousness and so contribute to the divisions and violence in the world. So we have the choice to be like King Herod or like Virgin Mary. If we choose to be like King Herod then we become instruments of division and violence. If we choose to be like Virgin Mary then we become instrument of unity and peace in the world.
Then the angels appear and sing, ‘Glory to God in the highest and peace to the people of good will on earth’(Luke:2,14).
To conclude: Christmas is not only a Christian feast. It represents the ultimate destiny and purpose of the whole of creation, of all religions, of all great persons and of all individuals. It did not happen only once in the past to be commemorate∂ once a year. Christmas has to happen in everyone’s life in every moment. It is giving birth to God or eternity in time so that each moment becomes the birth of God, each moment becomes Christmas. Spiritual virginity is the force that propels the universe in the process of its evolution to reach its ultimate destiny and purpose.