Christ the Eternal Tao: Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven from the book 'Christ the Eternal Tao' by Hieromonk Damascene.
Text:
Before He came into the world,
The sages tried to describe the Way:
The Way that all things must follow, and man if he chooses.
Not having seen Him, but only His traces,
The sages could only speak in dim verses and riddles.
Some things they did know, even from His traces
As He passed silently, invisibly through the canyons.
What was this Course that all things followed?
No thing existed for itself.
Each thing humbly, patiently fulfilled its designation, without thinking,
Without possessing, or rebelling, or complaining, or laying blame, or taking credit, or seeking honor.
In this way, the roaring ocean and mighty wind were as meek as the still pond.
One thing dies, without thinking, that others may live.
A seed falls to the ground and dies,
And from it comes a tree bearing fruit and more seeds beyond counting.
If the seed is preserved whole, nothing will come from it.
Only if it dies will it give life.
This is the Way, the Pattern that all things follow,
Knew the Ancient Sage.
This is how we can describe the Way,
For what the Way does, the Way is.
Thus, said the Ancient Sage,
"There must be an Original Principle of all things
Which reveals the mother of all things.
Having found the mother, we know the child;
Knowing the child, we then observe the mother."
For does not the vessel, crafted harmoniously, speak of the artist?
If all things that are made follow the Way,
Does not the Maker of things follow it, also?
If each thing that is made serves another,
And all things serve the whole,
Does not the Way serve, also?
But whom does the Way serve?
If all created things (save man) humbly, patiently fulfill the designation of their existence on earth,
Should not the Way do the same?
But how can He, if He does not walk the earth as do created things?
And if He did, what would be His designation?
And if one thing must die that others may live,
Should not the Way do the same?
But how was the Way to die,
And whom was He to die for?
This was the mystery before His coming.
The sages knew of His meekness, His lowliness, His selflessness and patience,
His calmness in His mighty deeds, His gentleness in His strength.
They knew that as each thing serves another,
So does the Maker of things serve all things.
They knew that as each thing dies for another,
So it is for the Way to die for all things.
This they knew.
But of the greatest mystery,
His perfect love, which existed before the world,
They could not know
Until He had walked among them,
Held their head against His breast,
Spoke to them with living breath,
Entered into them through His flesh and blood
And vowed that He would never leave them.