Praise be Jesus Christ, Forever and ever. Amen
Today’ is a little different
from our Christmas vigil masses of the past. COVID 19 restrictions have limited how many
can be here and what we as a community can offer up in celebration today.
As long as I can remember we
had a Children’s celebration before mass. Our children and young people would share
the good news of Jesus’ birth through a narrative. The younger children would
be Mary, Joseph, the Magi, King Herrod, Angels, and shepherds. If their talent
was music, we would have songs or they would play something special.
In this short play, the
children would teach us the real meaning of Christmas. Children give what they
receive.
Yet, if I had went to the
mall yesterday and been allowed to ask children and even adults “why we
celebrate Christmas?” You’d get a lot of different answers.
“It’s the holiday for giving
gifts…” “It’s about family...” “Santa Clause, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman…” Less
and less is heard, it’s about the birth of Jesus.
For many, the story of Bethlehem
is just a fairytale, an old time Disney movie.
In this time of quarantine
and isolation, it’s even more important to this gospel with each other and children
especially. Parent or a grandparent watching at home, if your children and
grandchildren are not around you, reach out to them to share the good news found
in the story of Jesus’ birth. Our first sharing of the Gospel should be fa family affair.
It’s important that this
good news is shared by family. Children give what they receive. We are all
children.
Tonight’s gospel begins with
family. That long list of names is Jesus’s family. It is great-great grandfathers
and great-great grandmothers. It is his ancestry from Abraham to Joseph. They
are all part of God’s chosen people.
God’s chosen people shared
God’s promise that was given to Abraham, given to David, and kept alive in that
long list of family. Even in this special relationship, many would tend to forget
God’s promise.
Years passed, everyday life
happened, and people put worldly things before God. People lived through wars
and famine and plagues and bondage. In those
generation and generation of peoples and Kings, God’s chosen people would
forget to follow God’s wishes.
People forgot God’s gifts to
them and his promise to them. But, God didn’t forget His promise.
Every time history got to
the point where it looked upon God’s chosen people as “Forsaken,” or “Desolate,”
peoples, God made something happen. It
may have been a great leader or prophet that brought about a revival of faith.
It may have even been some trial they had to endure to strengthen their faith.
When needed most, God sent
the perfect gift, Jesus. God sent his word, mercy, and forgiveness incarnate into
our midst, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.
They named him Jesus, because
he will save his people from their sins.” They will call him Emmanuel, which
means “God is with us.”
Sadly, today just like
through all the generations of Jesus’ ancestors, everyday life happens, we experienced
wars, famine, bondage, and even plagues in this world. It has led more and more
to fall asleep and forget God’s promise.
That is why it is so important
to remember the narrative of Jesus birth. It reminds us who we are supposed to
be and who we are supposed to place our trust in. Believing the truths of this
story can bring change. It changed Mary. It changed Joseph. It changed the
world.
When we know the story it
changes us. It gives us hope.
Pope Francis tweeted this
week, “Those who fail to view a crisis in the light of the Gospel … see the
crisis, but not the hope and the light brought by the Gospel.”
The gospel is the truth that
Jesus was born into the world where everyday life happens. It is the truth for
all who say they are Christians, a story written a day after day, year after
year, generation after generation as we bring Christ to the world.
It is an important part of God’s
narrative of us. Share it because both children and adults give what they
receive. It begins as a family affair.
Merry Christmas everyone; be
good, be holy, and share this good news of Jesus with the world.
Praise be Jesus Christ,
Forever and ever. Amen
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