The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light
Luke 2: 1-14
Just a few weeks ago, Pope Francis issued a short reflective
letter on the significance of the crèche, the Nativity scene we find in
Churches and homes, and in some cases, outside on people’s front lawns. Ever since, in 1223 St. Francis of Assisi
first formed a living scene which recalled the birth of Jesus, we see this
tender image depicted during the Christmas season.
Writing in that letter, Pope Francis said: “In the cave we find the figures of Mary and Joseph. Mary is a mother
who contemplates her child and shows him to every visitor.... In her, we see
the Mother of God who does not keep her Son only to herself but invites
everyone to obey his word and to put it into practice.” And at Mary’s side, we
see Saint Joseph, “who plays an important role in the life of Jesus and Mary”;
he is “the guardian who tirelessly protects his family. When God warned him of
Herod’s threat, he did not hesitate to set out and flee to Egypt.... And once
the danger had passed, he brought the family back to Nazareth, where he was to
be the first teacher of Jesus as a boy and then as a young man.”
In a simply beautiful way the Pope reminds us that God entered
our world not in frightening, mighty, judgmental or royal ways but he in a
sense snuck in, under cover, silently and we might easily miss him if it were
not for the powerful contrast between our belief in the nature of God and this
simple ordinary scene. Because God is all powerful, the creator of the universe
and all knowing the way in which he entered our world, his own creation yet
broken by sin, catches our attention and causes us to ask, “Why?”
Why would God choose to do this? Why bother? Why go through the pain and
suffering with no guarantee of success? With all the other planets, stars and
distant galaxies in the known universe, why would he even care about humanity
on this tiny blue planet in the vast darkness of space?
While it is impossible to know the mind of God the life of the
child born in ancient Bethlehem, a small obscure little town outside Jerusalem,
only one word makes sense of it all:
Love. God did this purely out of
love for humanity. The world had been
broken apart by sin, greed, arrogance, war, violence, separation, alienation
and hopelessness. Humanity alone could
not save itself but would just continue the same downward spiral it was on.
What other way was there?
In the birth of this child king the angel had requested of
Mary, reminded Joseph and later who John the Baptist spoke about, would be the
ultimate answer of God to our dilemma. The
"why" of Jesus' birth is a universal and daily invitation to walk
away from sin and to journey towards holiness.
He invites us away from prejudice, division, hatred and indifference to
walk in the light of the Gospel towards wholeness and holiness.
So back to the manger scene for a moment. Whether we find the traditional figures of
Mary, Joseph, shepherds, magi, and animals like sheep, donkeys and of course
the camel or other additional figures, including angels they all have one thing
in common. Not only do they depict
universal humanity but more importantly they are positioned the same – they all
face the child. As Pope Francis reminds
us: “Mary is a mother who contemplates
her child and shows him to every visitor . . .”
Like a proud parent and grandparent who never tire of showing
pictures of their child and grandchild to anyone, all of course feeling their
newborn is absolutely the most beautiful and perfect child born, Mary in a
sense does the same. Look at this little
boy. Look at my son Jesus. Know why he was born and pay attention. He was born for you.
In other words, he is not just one baby among billions born
since humanity was created. He will be
the long awaited hope of humanity that the ancient prophets spoke about. But what an unexpected entrance for the
child-king, born of David’s line yet greater than all earthly rulers and
kingdoms.
The most familiar of all Christmas stories we hear from the
Gospel of Luke which begins with the ancient world’s greatest ruler and earthly
power: Cesare Augustus.
The mighty Cesare Augustus, son of a god it was believed,
begins the Christmas story. Not because
he had anything to do with its unfolding but by way of contrast. Feared,
respected, glorified and honored this great Emperor ruled the Roman Empire with
a mighty army. The world was at peace, so Luke tells us and Augustus was known
for maintaining peace in the Roman Empire. But how did he keep that peace; through
force and fear. As long as you behaved
yourself, did not rock the boat or most importantly challenge the Emperor whose
word was the final say, there would be peace.
Force and fear.
This child king would come not as a mighty ruler born in
palaces with a vast and fearful army yet to establish peace on earth and
restore the broken and alienated. How?
Through the force of love and mercy. As the true Son of God his power
and position are superior to all earthly rulers, yet he slips in silently
surrounded not by a court of self-serving adorers but by the most humble people
of all: shepherds who were sort of street people of the time. After his vast army of angels declares his
birth, they go to adore and honor this greater king.
So, we may be tempted to feel the coming of God in the flesh is
all about sentimentality: love, gentleness and generically just getting along
with one another; a kind of feel good season. While living in peace is
certainly an element of our faith, the point of Jesus' coming was to invite all
of us to a radical change of life - conversion, a new direction and purpose for
living.
The point of Christmas, then, is that God, of his own free
initiative, has embraced our sinful human nature, though without sin, and
entered the human experience fully and completely. He has given everything for
us on this tiny blue planet in the vast endless expanses of deep space. In doing so, he has revealed the mystery of God
in that he affirms that we are loved and of infinite value
God has made a proposition to humanity and if we accept it we
will be called to put on Christ daily.
As we celebrate our Eucharist this Christmas we know his infinite mercy
to our sin and we find in him all we hope for. May the only power we exercise
is that power which Christ displayed for us:
love, compassion, selfless giving after his own example.
Keep Christ at Christmas always but not just now, every day
throughout the new year. Now is the time to begin again. God is waiting for
you. Let's all look towards the Christ this year and receive the gift of
himself in both Word and Sacrament and continue to come to him throughout the
new year.
Peace and Merry Christmas!
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