Year B, Christmas Eve
December 24, 2023
Isaiah 9:2-7, Psalm 96, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14(15-20)
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Hope and Presence: The Transformative Power of Christmas
The Very Rev. Kathleen Murray, Rector
Historic Beckford Parish, Mount Jackson & Woodstock
Christmas I (Christmas Eve), Year B
December 24, 2023
The night is here – and we are gathered as a community of faith – gathered to worship God on this holy day — gathered around God’s table to partake of the Sacrament that reminds us of Christ’s love for us and for all who will follow this baby born in a manger.
What does Christmas bring to us?
We’ve heard Luke’s nativity gospel countless times, but it struck me differently this year: “In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.”
What strikes me is that the events Luke describes seem incredibly small on a larger stage. Does Emperor Augustus or Governor Quirinius care about a pregnant teenager or wandering shepherds? Mary, Joseph, and the rest – these folks would not seem significant compared to those rulers. And yet Luke declares whether these rich and powerful leaders care–whether they even notice – the events Luke describes in detail will change the whole world.
It’s an audacious claim when you think about it: that the birth of a baby to an unwed teen in a tiny, unimportant town could matter. And yet there, in a nutshell, is the promise of all our Gospels on Christmas and every day: that God regularly shows up where we least expect God to be and always for us.
Luke’s Gospel reminds me that the headlines we read and worry about will have their day and then fade again against the backdrop of this story we’ve been telling now for nearly 2000 years. God loves this world! And God will not give up on it or us. Moreover, God continues to come to love and bless this world and invites us to do the same.
We often struggle to see God, to see Jesus amid difficult headlines. So many more wonder where God is amid their own more private pain of ruptured relationships, lost loved ones, loneliness, illness, job loss, or depression. Or maybe it’s just that we get so caught up in the daily routine of making ends meet that we have a hard time imagining God could make a difference in our world.
Sure, we believe in God in general, but sensing God’s presence – let alone seeing God – in the nitty-gritty of our mundane lives often seems an overwhelming stretch.
Perhaps the problem isn’t that it is impossible to see God but that we are prone to look in all the wrong places. Rather than speculate about God’s existence, we should instead look to Jesus.
Look to Jesus. Always look to Jesus. When we do that, we encounter the God who became flesh, taking on our lot and our life so that we might have hope.
When you get down to it, the Gospels’ message of hope, grace, and peace seems impossible. Think about it – that the Creator of the cosmos would even know we exist, let alone love and cherish us. It’s almost too good to be true.
But, it is true. This is the one Christmas miracle we will most assuredly encounter this week, this year, and our lifetime. That God so loved the world. This is the miracle of Christmas.
What strikes me so deeply about these two gospel passages and, quite frankly, all of the possible readings for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is that hope seeps into the depths of our souls.
The coming of God into our world through Christ tells us a lot about God.
It means God does not abandon us in our most challenging times. In the most demanding and most trying of times, God comes. God comes with hope and new possibilities, just as God promised the Israelites new life and salvation in Isaiah’s time.
The good news the angels brought to the shepherds on that first Christmas night was that their lives as the poorest of the poor could be different. God had come – Christ had been born – and all things could be different.
The good news God brings to us today is that – even amid the tragedies of our lives – the times when things seem to be the lowest they can be – times of war and violence – times when despair and depression want to grab us and not let us go – even in all these times and despite all these things – God has come – Christ has been born – things can be different.
Amid our lives – God has come in Christ Jesus – to work in our lives and our world for God’s love, justice, and healing.
That’s the message and miracle of Christmas.
As we gather together in this season of joy and light, I am reminded of a simple yet profound message from an unlikely theologian – Linus, from the beloved classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” In a moment of heartfelt clarity amidst the commercial hustle and bustle, Linus reminds us of the true essence of Christmas by reciting from the Gospel of Luke.
As we come around the table this evening to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity – we celebrate the fact that God comes to make a difference in this world – and we are strengthened to make a difference for God. And we can find Jesus in the most unexpected places. Look around, and you will find him. Jesus shines light in dark places, brings hope to the discouraged, insight to the lost, and promises peace to all who long for it.
As we proclaim and remember the Good News this night, let us go forth into the world, knowing that goodness is stronger than evil, love is stronger than hate, and light is stronger than darkness. Let us remind the world that a baby was born. In celebrating the Eucharist, let us be reminded of the strength, the light, and the sustenance that comes to us through Jesus if we allow our hearts and minds to be opened.
The message of Advent is “Stay strong, Jesus is coming soon.” The everyday message is “Stay Strong – Jesus is here!” Amen.