by Michael Maciel

What’s being born in us at this Holy time of year isn’t like a parasite that destroys its host, like the creature in “Alien,” but like a baby that comes into our life and overturns it completely.

Make no mistake—it will change your life forever. But just like a baby, it needs you to be the adult, to help the newborn thing to safely integrate into the world. 

And the Christ Child NEEDS you to protect it—from Herod, your own stipulations as to who the Child will grow up to be. You might need to hide it from the profane, lest they murder the new version of you in its infancy. But the biggest threat could be you yourself—your fear of losing something, your doubts, and your opinions about who you are. 

There is a point where you will have your “coming out” in the temple, after which you will no longer be able to keep the New You hidden, nor will you be able to keep it from saying and doing the things it was born to say and do. 

But now is the time to stay indoors and ponder the true nature of who or what is being born. Protect it. Nurture it. Give it your full attention. 

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”

– The Gospel of Thomas