What is the most important event in all of human history? What event could influence all events before, during, and after its occurrence? What event still affects us today and will continue to do so till the end of time? Could it be the extraordinary achievements of Alexander the Great’s march across the world? How about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire? Or maybe the birth of America?

While all these events, (and many more) deserve our time and study, there is still one event far greater. In order to meet the criteria for this description this event would have to incorporate all people, places, and events. It would have to transcend time, culture, language, and customs.

This event has to be the incarnation, the “word made flesh.” God became man. No other event can compare to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God, the author of human history can be seen in every time, place, and person. Jesus came “in the fullness” of time. (Galatians 4:4)  All things lead to him and from him.

The Jews wandering in the desert had a purpose and direction. Divine Providence protected them, led them, guided them. Even as future generations fell away, there He was, always leading his people back. He would send His prophets. He would send His chastisements. He would eventually even send His Son. He would welcome them back, if only they would repent. When all seemed lost, from the depths of darkest despair, He would (and continues to) bring light to the darkness.

Christ is prefigured in the Old Testament. Many of the figures we read about are types that point to Christ. For example Adam is a type of Christ, whereas Christ is the New Adam who finishes what Adam failed to do. Another example is Melchizedek who is a type of Christ that points to Our Lord being priest, prophet, and king. Melchizedek’s offering of bread and wine to Abram is also a foretelling of the Eucharist which will be instituted by Christ.

Christ is the fulfillment of the New Testament. He was not some social radical revolutionary that some people like to make Him out to be. He was the one who restored the true teachings that had been corrupted by sin, pride, and ignorance. For example, at that time under the Law of Moses it was allowed for Jewish men to divorce their wives or to have multiple wives. However, this was a perversion of the law. Christ restores the true meaning of marriage as the union between one man and one woman and forbids divorce. “What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” (Mark 10: 1-12)

Even those who never knew Him, still served his purpose. Alexander the Great conquered the known world, which brought him into contact with the Jews. Eventually the Old and New Testaments would be translated into the Greek language, which would lead to the uniting of Jew and Gentile, and help facilitate the spreading of the Gospels.

Without the Roman Empire the message of Christ would never have been able to spread as it did. Rome had conquered. They built roads, laid down laws, and brought peace to the places that they ruled. The Pax Romana or Roman Peace gave the apostles the freedom to move around the Empire spreading the message of Christ. In no other time would this have been possible. Even the Gentiles have been used for His ultimate plan.

The birth of the Church, the New Israel, would be nothing without His saving grace. In human terms there is no logical reason why the Church has survived its two thousand year history. It has survived the Roman persecutions, the Arian heresy, the barbarians, the corrupt popes of the 9^th and 16^th centuries, the Mohammed heresy, the Protestant rebellion, the religious wars of Europe, the Albigensian heresy, the French Revolution and subsequent Napoleonic wars, the Communist revolt, the sexual revolution, the sex abuse scandals, the modern rise of secularism, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera ad nauseam. (And that’s only naming a few!)

And yet she remains. Why? The only truly satisfactory answer can be through Divine Providence. And yet there are still those who hate her. There are still those who won’t believe. They deny the truth and the facts even when the evidence is overwhelming. Why? Pride. Pride is the one sin that is the root of all others. It goes back to the beginning of time, all the way to Adam and Eve, and even further to Lucifer, with this simple motto, “I will not serve!”

The Incarnation is a real historical event. It is the most important historical event that ever was and ever will be. It continues to impact our lives even today. Pray for those who have eyes, and yet see not; and who have ears, and yet hear not. Pray that we may have eyes to see and ears to hear and harden not our hearts against the facts and the truth as they stare us in the face.

Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

Viva Cristo Rey!