"An Episcopal priest who was raised in Senegal offers meditations on four songs that center on Jesus' birth: the Magnificat, Benedictus, Gloria, and Nunc Dimittis. Each reflection places the canticle in its historical Middle Eastern context, then considers its implications for our own lives. Liturgical artist Daniel Bonnell's contributions beautifully illustrate the heart of each song." -The Living Church "Incarnation is about something local and particular. It is not a general principle about how God acts, but an affirmation that God has acted in a specific time and place-that God has spoken a particular language, met particular people, eaten particular food. This very moving little book brings home that particularity, reminding us about the actual realities of the Middle East at the time of Jesus-and then shows how that once-and-for-all incarnation opens up new insights not only about God's involvement with the Middle East now, but about God's involvement with us all as we try to make the gift of Jesus real for ourselves and our human neighbors today." -Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury