Luke 2: 1-14
The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122525-Night.cfm
When shown a picture of a group of people in which you are one of them, say a family picture taken for some joyous event, who is the first person you look at? Your mom or father? Your brothers or sisters? A grandparent or aunt or uncle? I would safely bet, the first person you look at, is yourself. “Is my hair, right? Do I look happy or grumpy? I really put on weight. What about my posture?” Am I standing straight or slouching over. As if we were the center of the picture when it may have been one taken when the family was gathered for another members special day.
When we see an image
of the manger in Bethlehem with mother and child, shepherds and magi, sheep and
camel. Which figure do we first gaze at
first? Of all those gathered, the first
that should get our attention is the baby in the manger. He IS the center of the scene. It is because of him that we celebrate this
feast. You may call this day a winter
holiday, the holiday season, yuletide week, a winter wonderland with little
elves and cute creatures, but none of that matters really if we are serious
about this beautiful feast. In the end,
if that baby whose name is Jesus is in the picture HE and he alone is the
central figure in the scene. It is his
day, his life, his coming among us, it is God in human flesh, the Word of God
made flesh, that has reversed the tragic direction of the world from sin and
destruction to hope and salvation.
The Lord Jesus Christ
is not only the center of that picture but he should be the center of our lives
and is the One who has come down among us. The hope of the prophets and the
Savior who has come to do battle with the force of evil. He has come to set things right and to
reclaim what is his. Through his death and resurrection, he has won the promise
of salvation on our behalf and revealed himself to us. In this little child we
have found a mighty Savior for all.
But what is it about
a child, a baby in particular, that seems to grab everyone’s attention? Any mother who enters a room or a church,
baby in arms, immediately draws the gaze of those who notice. Conversations stop, heads and eyes turn and
all approach the child to take a look.
What does the baby do? Nothing,
absolutely nothing to draw attention to itself, aside from being helpless,
innocent and cute. Likely but not
always, the infant is sleeping comfortably wrapped in warm blankets as life
goes on around him/her. But by its innocence and its life, he draws all to
him/herself. Isn’t this the central
image of Christmas – a helpless, powerless child who was born to save the
world!
God became a human
being, embraced our nature with all of its sin and brokenness, absorbed that
weakness and broke the back of its origin, then repaired the broken
relationship with the power of his self-sacrifice upon a cross and finally rose
from the dead, thereby setting all free from the chains of death with the
promise of life eternal for those who embrace the good news of Gospel joy.
Like a proud parent
and grandparent who never tire of showing pictures of their child and
grandchild to anyone Mary in a sense does the same. “Look at my child. Look at my son Jesus. Know why he was born and pay attention. He was born for you.”
God did this purely
out of love for humanity and his own desire to not remain unknown. 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 So, we are not abandoned
children in which Christ has simply left us to our own devices. We live by a
promise he gave that he would be with us always: in our faith, in the
Sacraments especially present in the Holy Eucharist, in the good we do for one
another, in the forgiveness of our sin, in our struggles and fears and
worries. Christ is there where He
invites us away from prejudice, division, hatred and indifference to walk in
the light of the Gospel towards wholeness, holiness, and love.
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.
In other words, he is
not just one baby among billions born since humanity was created. He is the long awaited hope of humanity that
the ancient prophets spoke about.
May the only power we
exercise is that power which Christ displayed for us: love, compassion, selfless giving after his
own example. In the end, one best lesson we may learn at Christmas is that it isn't me anymore that is the center of life, or the best looking guy in a picture, but it is HE our Lord and Savior who is the central figure of history.
Keep Christ at
Christmas and 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!
O God, who have made this most sacred night
radiant with the splendor of the true light,
grant that we, who have known the mysteries of his light
on earth, may also delight in his gladness in heaven.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
(Collect for Mass at night)
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