Friday, December 16 Descending Theology: Christ Human by Mary Karr Read this poem and take some time to imagine the image that the poet paints with her words. Such a short voyage for a god, and you arrived in animal form so as not to scorch us with your glory. Your mask was an infant’s head on a limp stalk, sticky eyes smeared blind, limbs rendered useless in swaddle. You came among beasts as one, came into our care or its lack, came crying as we all do, because the human frame is a crucifix, each skeletos borne a lifetime. Any wanting soul lain prostrate on a floor to receive a pouring of sunlight might—if still enough, feel your cross buried in the flesh. One has only to surrender, you preached, open both arms to the inner, the ever-present hold, out-reaching every want. It’s in the form embedded, love adamant as bone. In a breath, we can bloom and almost be you