The life and faith of Bl. Lancelot Andrewes is celebrated by many an Anglican, particularly at Christmas time. This has something to do with the fact that Baker Book House published his Christmas sermons until quite recently. The emphasis on the incarnation, the historic reality of the virgin birth as well as the foundation for the “sacramental principle”, is evident in Andrewes’ Christmas sermons. In his day the Sacrament was not celebrated every Sunday, and in our day many are planning a Christmas with no divine service at all. Andrewes argues that the meaning of Christmas would be significantly marred without the Blessed Sacrament. Christmas is the feast of the union of Word and flesh. So, “On the feast of their union, they would be united; the day they were joined by Him, they would not be sundered by any; but we to celebrate both, in honour of both. For, judge with yourselves how inconvenient it is to keep a feast in honour of His taking flesh, and even that day abandon His flesh, and never once take it?” In his sermon for Christmas Day, 1611, Andrewes says:

But at this now, we are not to content ourselves with one alone [either Word or flesh]; but since He offereth to communicate Himself both ways, never restrain Him to one. The word we hear is the abstract of Verbum; the Sacrament is the antetype of caro, His flesh. What better way than where these are actually joined, actually to partake them both? Not either alone, the word or flesh; but the word and flesh both, for there they are both. If we regard habitavit [“He dwelt”], this is a sure way, we have a plain text for it; Qui manducat carnem, in Me manet et Ego in Illo, “[He who eats flesh] He abides in Me, and I in Him.” If it be grace and truth we respect, how may we better establish our hearts with grace, or settle our minds in the truth of His promise, than by partaking these the conduit-pipes of His grace, and seals of His truth unto us? Grace and truth now proceeding not from the Word alone, but even from the flesh thereto united; the fountain of the Word flowing into the cistern of His flesh, and from thence deriving down to us this grace and truth, to them who partake Him aright.
But setting them aside, the day “the Word was made flesh” it is most kindly that a memorial be kept, as well of the flesh as the Word. On the feast of their union, they would be united; the day they were joined by Him, they would not be sundered by any; but we to celebrate both, in honour of both. For, judge with yourselves how inconvenient it is to keep a feast in honour of His taking flesh, and even that day abandon His flesh, and never once take it. Verbum est caro [Word is flesh] if ever to be joined this day, the day of their joining. Accordingly then, as well by the act to testify and represent the Word’s making flesh, as to procure He may dwell in us; and dwelling replenish us with His grace and truth. And lastly, that we may hold this feast aright, and do the duty that properly belongs to it, let us by both do honour to both, that from both we may receive the fruit of both — grace, to enable us; truth, to guide us to the hope of glory. Not to that in the parenthesis, that is but vidimus quasi [we have seen somewhat]; but to the other, videbimus sicut est [we have seen just as it is], “to see Him as He is,” (1 Jn. 3:2) and by seeing to be transformed into the same image of glory.

Here Andrewes sees a clear connection between “the Word made flesh” of John 1 and the “he in Me and I in him” of John 6, words rehearsed in the consecration prayers and echoed in the “Prayer of Humble Access” in the liturgy of Holy Communion (“He in us and we in Him”). Christmas is the beginning, therefore, of our Eucharistic feast, of Christ’s dwelling in us, so we must join word and flesh on this day, if we would keep this feast rightly and keep in such a way that we continue to draw from its fruit, so that we are transformed by the word-made-flesh “into the same image of glory.”

An accompaniment to Andrewes’ Christmas sermons is his prayer in preparation for Holy Communion. The emphasis on the union of word and flesh in the Sacrament was coupled with the importance of receiving the Sacrament worthily. The Christmas theme in this prayer shows that Andrewes frequently reflected on the joy of Christ’s incarnation in his meditations on the Sacrament.

O Lord, I am not worthy, I am not fit, that thou shouldest come under the roof of my soul; for it is all desolate and ruined; nor hast thou in me fitting place to lay thy head. But, as thou didst vouchsafe to lie in the cavern and manger of brute cattle, as thou didst not disdain to be entertained in the house of Simon the leper; as thou didst not disdain that harlot, like me, who was a sinner, coming to thee: and touching thee; as Thout abhorredst not her polluted and loathsome mouth; nor the thief upon the cross confessing thee: So me too the ruined, wretched, and excessive sinner, deign to receive the touch and partaking of the immaculate, supernatural, life giving, and saving mysteries of thy all-holy Body and thy precious Blood.

The Private Devotions of Lancelot Andrewes, (Lancelot Andrewes Press, 2006), 56.

Another Christmas sermon emphasizing the connection between the feast day of Christmas and the Sacrament was preached by Mark Frank sometime later (date unknown). Frank had entered Andrewes’ alma mater, Pembroke College, Cambridge just one year after Andrewes’ death (Andrewes had bequeathed a large portion of his personal library to Pembroke in his will). Frank’s sermon style and sacramental preaching are strikingly similar to that of Andrewes.

This is the day of salvation, salvation-day; and, if ever, to-day he will be seen. Cast but your eyes up to the holy table thither, your very sense may there almost see salvation, behold your Saviour. There it is, there he is in the blessed sacrament. There it is prepared for you: “A body hast thou prepared;” his body, flesh and blood, prepared well nigh to be seen, to be tasted. “Oh taste and see how gracious the Lord is.” Go up thither, and with old Simeon take him in your hands, take him yet nearer, into your bowels. “Take, eat:” you shall hear one say so by and by. But stay not there upon your sense, upon the outward element. Look upon him with your other eye, the eye of faith; let it be viderunt oculi, let it be both; let it be viderunt mei, the applying eye of a special faith. And, that you may be sure not to go away without beholding him, there is lumen in the test; and it would do well in your hands to search the dark corners of your hearts, to examine them. While our hearts are darkened with sins and errors we cannot see him; and if after strict examination we be not found in charity, we are yet in tenebris.–S. John tells us, Do but love your brother: “he that loves his brother abideth in the light.” The sum is, faith must be the eye, repentance and charity the light, by which you shall this day see your Saviour, and apprehend salvation: the three requisites, those, to a worthy communicant. So shall you there find light to guide you out of the darkness of sin and misery; glory to instate you in the adoption of the sons of God; salvation with glory–salvation here, glory hereafter.

Mark Frank, The Ninth Sermon on Christmas Day, Sermons, Volume One
pp. 193-212, The Library of Anglo-Catholic Theology.

Frank here strikes a healthy balance between the objectivity and subjectivity of Christ’s presence in the Sacrament. For those who come with a believing and penitent heart, ready to receive the great Christmas gift of the incarnate God, he says, “There it is, there he is in the blessed sacrament.”