You can’t say it more beautifully than St. Bernard does in this sermon.

“The kindness and love of God our savior have appeared.  Thanks be to God, we receive such abundant kindness in this pilgrimage, this exile, this distress through him.

” Before his humanity appeared, God’s kindness lay concealed. Yes, it was already there, because the mercy of the Lord is eternal, but how could we know it was so great? It was promised but not yet experienced, and so many did not believe in it.  At various times and in various different ways, God spoke through the prophets, saying I know the plans I have in mind for you: plans for peace, not disaster.

“Now at last let us believe our own eyes, because all God’s promises are to be trusted. So  even our troubled eyes can see, He has set up his tabernacle in the sun. Peace is no longer promised, but given; no longer delayed, but present; no longer predicted, but here.

“Behold, God has sent down to earth a message of mercy, at his passion our ransom was poured out on us. A small child was given to us, but all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him.

“After the fulness of time had come, there came too the fulness of the Godhead. He came in the flesh to reveal himself to our earthly minds; his kindness would be known when his humanity appeared. Where the humanity of God appears, his kindness can no longer be hidden. Could he better reveal his kindness than by assuming my flesh? My flesh, that is, not Adam’s, as it was before the fall.

“What greater proof could God give of his mercy than by taking upon himself that very thing which needed mercy? Could there be a better loving-kindness than for our sake the Word of God became perishable like the grass? Lord, what is man, that you make much of him or pay him any heed?

“Let us know  how much God cares for us from this. Let us know from this what God thinks of us, what he feels about us. Do not ask about your own sufferings; but about what God suffered. Learn from what he became for you what he wishes you to become. Know his kindness from his humanity.

“The more he humbled himself in his humanity, the greater has he shown his kindness. The more he humbles himself on my account, the more I love him. The kindness and humanity of God our Saviour appeared says St Paul. The humanity of God shows the greatness of his kindness.

The One who added humanity to the name of God gave proof of God’s kindness.”