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by Fr. Andrew
Which Christmas scene do our hearts desire? Do our hearts desire the soft, the
quiet, the hidden scene of Bethlehem? Do our hearts desire the loud, the brash,
the bold proclamation of the field? Where would God have us meet Him?
We often want God to make the bold proclamation. We want God to rent a
sky-writer or, better yet, a blimp with a scrolling message on the side: "God
exists!" What would we do if, one night we looked up and saw a new constellation
that says: "I am here!" Wouldn’t the world be a buzz: the American News, CNN,
Foxnews, Drudge, everyone would be talking about this profound and powerful
message. Yet many of us would believe, not because we wanted to but because we
would have no choice. The shining constellation of God’s existence would bring
us to believe as our hearts are beaten into submission. This is not God’s way.
The wisdom of God is shown that Jesus comes in the soft, the quiet, and the
hidden scene of Bethlehem. God does not come to overpower us but to woo us. The
infant Jesus is not bold but the angels are to point Him out. The infant Jesus
is small so that we might be truly free to love Him.
Much like a fairy tale where the prince dresses as the pauper to see who
receives him with love, the Prince of Peace comes as a defenseless babe to allow
us to love Him. Does Jesus deserve fanfare, majesty, and solemnity? Yes and it
is good for us to honor Him so! But He comes to us in the quiet of night, in the
quiet of a voiceless child to allow us to love Him.
The Prophet Isaiah says: "For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak
rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames. For a child is born to us, a
son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests." The boots, the battle, the
cloak and the blood are our own struggles with sin. Our battle against sin in
ourselves, in others, and in the world will be ended. The baby can put an end to
battle, to strife, to sin and to war because He lays claim by His very
existence. A baby is greater than a speech or a story or a sign in the sky
because a baby lives!
Those of us who meet this baby on His level, without pretense or pride, we who
meet Jesus in humility and love receive His peace and joy. Whoever meets Jesus
in the weakness of a baby receives His peace and joy to bring and to share with
all others. So as we kneel at the manger this Christmas morning, as we kneel at
the foot of the Crucifix this Mass, let us lay down our pride, our pretense and
our battles. Let us ask the meek baby who is the Lord to relieve us of the
burden of sin and strife so we may receive His peace and joy and so be His
missionaries to the world.
See Also:
Homily - The Nativity of the Lord by Fr. Daren J. Zehnle
Can there be anything more vulnerable or defenseless than a newborn child? Yet it is precisely this that the Son of God becomes for us to manifest the depth of his great love.Homily - Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord
Tonight I wish to focus on the statue of St. Joseph as a way to come to a deeper understanding of the mystery of Christmas. Take a look at this Joseph, if you will.
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