Around that manger, around that child, gathered the best of human life, the finest traits of civilization.

Magi, with their compelling commitment to wisdom, learning, understanding, the courageous and dignified search for meaning.

Shepherds, with their challenging lives of simplicity, austerity and frugality, living close to the nourishing earth, carefully and responsibly in close cooperation with creation and its creatures.

Joseph, the supreme man of honor and quiet dignity. Not seeking the defense of his own reputation, but the will of God, and the tender care of the one he treasures and loves, all through circumstances so unique that even with the inspiring word of the angel of God in his mind and heart, a man who cannot fully have understood, known what to make of it all.

And Mary, the example beyond all others of our race of absolute, unshakable faith and devotion to God, with a joyful and trusting acceptance of his will for her and her role in his wonders and his plans for us.

There gathered round that infant Jesus, the best that we can hope for, the approaches and characteristics of human life that are most esteemed by decent people who recognize enduring worth and prize transcendant values.

And from the manger, shining forth, the staggering surprise that all of that which is good and right and just and beautiful will not avail for salvation, a tiny mewling infant, and he alone, will accomplish our redemption, and offer that to us, as a gracious gift, not as the predictable consequence of lives lived out with the best and finest intentions.

The Incarnation does not make those splendid approaches to the living of our lives undesirable, it simply exposes them insufficient, they are not enough. They are good and right and the glories of each generation, but the audacious Christmas claim is that they are not enough, only a tiny child is sufficient, only he is enough for the enterprise of salvation.

We are not called through the glorious gift of the child in swaddling clothes to set aside simplicity, to give up wisdom, to ignore our honor or to finesse our faith -- we are called to acknowledge before the stable and our souls that none of that is or can be the controlling, decisive element of our Christian lives, they are not the definitive factors of salvation. It is the encounter with the child, the acceptance of Jesus Christ into lives which are variously well-ordered and deranged that will avail for our salvation.

We did nothing to bring this child into the world, we need do nothing to bring him into our hearts, beyond simply accepting the gift offered. He himself will fashion the way to come to us, abide in us, be with us.

We did not bring this forth, it is not the long awaited outcome of our search for God, our longing for meaning, our pursuit of the answer to the purpose of life.

It was simply given, and as little child. A tiny baby is the answer, lying in a manger.

The Incarnation is not the result of our precise and wise seeking after God, it is not the discovery of the basic meaning of life through a devout process of establishing simplicity and austerity and decency in our lives, it is not the natural consequence of lives of honor and dignity and quiet acceptance of duty, it is not even the crowning glory of a life of faith and devotion and the contented acceptance of God's will.

It is the sudden appearance in our lives of the glory of the Lord, his grand and gracious gift, that suddenly appears and shines round about us, the glory of our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.