On earth as it is in heaven

I love this time of year.  Next to Lent/Easter, Advent/Christmas is my favorite time of year!

I was introducing my granddaughters to the cast of the Christmas story, using my nativity scene.  We don’t have baby Jesus out yet, but for now, I focused with them on the message that the angel brought to Mary, that she would have a baby, even though she didn’t have a husband, and that the Holy Spirit would put that baby, the Son of God, into Mary’s belly…and how Mary said yes, and obeyed God even when it challenged her reason.

We talked about the manger, and how it is a place where the animals come to be fed, and how when Jesus was born, Mary laid him in that manger.  These girls are 3 and 4, so Jesus being the bread of Life is a little over their heads for now, but we will make that connection in time, I’m sure.  Anyway…it was fun seeing how much I could communicate the Christmas story without the words right in front of me…if you want to know if you understand a certain topic, or narrative, try telling it to a 4yo in your own words.

Their attention span is not long (whew!) so, I didn’t get to the part (yet) where Jesus was born, and the angels sang, but I was thinking about it after they went to sleep.  I made a new connection that I had never ever noticed before.

Where had I heard that…”in the highest…and on earth”, it was familiar, but it took me a minute to recollect:  the Lord’s prayer, of course.  Remember my retreat here last year?  I talked about how the Lord’s prayer alluded to the communion of the saints, or at least, it put me in mind of it.  He taught us to pray for His Father’s will to be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.  Well…before Jesus prayed that prayer, the angels proclaimed it to be so!

Glory to God in the highest
(Hallowed be thy name)
Peace among men with whom He is pleased
(thy kingdom come, thy will be done),
in the highest and on earth
(on earth as it is in heaven).

Do you see it?

Mind.
Blown.