Bytherev.Kaysylvester

December24,2010–ChristmasEve

YearA

BytheRev.KaySylvester

(RCL)Isaiah9:2-7;Psalm96;Titus2:11-14;Luke2:1-14(15-20)

Onthisholynight,wecelebratethebirthofJesus,who, accordingtoLuke, wasborninBethlehem,inastable,becausethetownwasfullofout-of-townvisitorswhohadcometopaytheirtaxes.Butifyoulookaround,youwillseethatwe’vemademuchmoreofthis celebration than the observance of asimplebirthstory.

Thistimeofyearisprofoundlyfraughtwithmulti-layeredmeanings;familytraditions;economicsuccessformerchants;inthenorthernhemisphere,thewintersolstice;thepausebetweentheendofthelunaryearandthelongersolaryear;andouryear-endtendencytowanttoevaluatethisyearbeforeembarkingonanother. Allthese things,alongwithagroupoffictionalstorieslikeRudolphtheRed-NosedReindeerandFrostytheSnowman,findtheirwayintoourconsciousness,ourdecorations,ourgift-buyinghabits,ourparties,andintoourexpectations.OurculturetreatsChristmaswithmassivelysentimentalattention.WewatchHallmarkspecialsonTV, we resurrect“AChristmasCarol”with its ghostsofChristmaspast,present,andfuture; and we longforourfamiliestomatchthesesentimentalvisions.WecanevengetsentimentaloverapunylittleChristmastree,liketheonein“ACharlieBrownChristmas.”

Noneofthisisbad.Traditionsinstructus,delightus,andremindusofourvalues.ButChristmastreesandRudolphdon’thaveanythingtodowiththebirthofaSavior.Whatisthisstorymeanttotellus?IfwereallywanttolookatChristmaspast,imaginethemorningafterJesusisborn:

Thestableisfullofanimals.Thecowisloudlyaskingtobemilked.Thestrawsmellslikeanimaldungandthefunkofchildbirth.Stunnedandexhaustednewparentswakeuptoanentirelydifferentrealityfromyesterday:there’sababyintheirlivesnow.Theyrubtheireyes:werethosereallyangelsmakingallthatnoiselastnight?Andwhataboutthoseshepherds–theyfoundusinthisdimlittlestablebecause,theysaid,ahostofangelsshowedthemtheway.Thenewlifelyinginthestrawbetweenthemissomehowthecauseofallthecommotion.True,everybabyisamiracle,butthisbaby–MaryandJosephcan’tstopstaringathim,touchinghim,holdinghim,likeanynewparents –theyknowthatGodhasplansforthisbaby,andthey’realittleafraid.

WeoftenregardthissweetscenethroughaHallmark-specialfuzzylens,asthoughitwereonlyaboutanothersweetbaby.Butthisnativityscene,themorningafterthedazzlingholynight,isn’tjusttheendofMary’spregnancyandthestartofanewfamily.ThebabyinthemangerisnoneotherthanEmmanuel,Godwithus.Thepeoplewhowalkedindarknesshave,indeed,seenagreatlight–andwe’renotjusttalkingabouttheshepherdsandthestar.ThelightemanatingfromthissleepydomesticsceneisthelightofGod,cometobewithus,cometodwellinus,cometotransformus.TheresponseoffaithfulpeopletothisnewrealityistolearnfromJesus,toemulateJesus,tobecomebringersofGod’slightourselves.WecelebratethegiftthatGodhasgiventousinJesuswhenwesubvertoppression,especiallyinthelife-affirmingwaysthatJesusemployed–byteaching,healing,givingvoiceandvisiontothosewhohavebeenindarkness.TheworkofChristmasbegins,butdoesnotend,tonight.

Oneofthebest-lovedofallChristmashymnsis“Joytotheworld.”Listentothefirstverse,wherewesing“theLordiscome”–verymuchlikethememorialacclamationintheEucharist,whenwesay“Christisrisen.”“TheLordiscome”saysthatJesuscomestoushereandnow,notonlyonthatfirstChristmas2,000yearsago.TheuniverseshiftedthemomentthatJesuswasborn,shiftedtowardtherealityofGod’spresenceinandwithandforGod’screation.WearefacedwiththetaskasChristiansofmakingrealthatrevolutionarylove,hereandnow,inthetimeandplacewebelongto.ChristmaspresentshouldlookdifferentandbetterthanChristmaspast.

Theotherpartofthefirstverseof“Joytotheworld”thatchallengesusisthis:“leteveryheartpreparehimroom.”HowhaveyoumaderoomforthelivingChristamidthebusyshoppingdaysanddecoratingandparties?Theonlywayforusto“preparehimroom”thatmatterstotheworldiswhenwemakeroomforJesustochallengeusandchangeus,todevelopusandtransformusintoChrist’sownhandsandfeetandstrengthandloveforthistimeandplace.To“preparehimroom”meansgivingupsomeofourattachmenttohavinga“perfectChristmas,”onethattouchesallourpersonalbuttonsandfulfillseverytraditionandwish.Topreparehimroommeans,perhaps,lessretailandmoregiving;lessconcernabouthavingaperfectdinnertableandmorefeedingthehungry;lessdecoratingandmorerealcelebrationofwhoJesusis,theonewhoisalwaysbeingborninourheartsandwhodesiresalwaystobewithus.

Christmasdoesn’tendtomorrow.Christmasdoesn’tendwithEpiphany,orLent,orEaster;ChristmasisGod’scontinuinggiftofGod’spresencewithus,andChristmasisourchallengetoprepareroominourhearts,andinourlives.

SowhataboutChristmasfuture?

Aswepackupourornamentsforanotheryear,fillthegaragewithboxeslabeled“Christmas,”thinkabouthowyourlifeinJanuaryandFebruarycancontinuetheworkofChristmas.AsyoupullthetinseloffthetreeandputawaytheFrostytheSnowmanvideos,imaginewhoislost,whoishungry,whoneedspeaceinMarchandApril.Whentheshepherdsarebackwiththeirflockinthebox,remembertheirsurpriseandjoy,andfindsomeplacetoofferthesongoftheangelstosomeonewhoneedsitinJune.

HowardThurmanputsitthiswayinhispoem“TheWorkofChristmas”:

Whenthesongoftheangelsisstilled,

Whenthestarintheskyisgone,

Whenthekingsandprincesarehome,

Whentheshepherdsarebackwiththeirflock,

TheworkofChristmasbegins:

Tofindthelost,

Tohealthebroken,

Tofeedthehungry,

Toreleasetheprisoner,

Torebuildthenations,

Tobringpeaceamongbrothers,

Tomakemusicintheheart.

MerryChristmas.

—TheRev.KaySylvesteristheassistantrectoratSt.Paul'sinTustin,California.Sheisateacher,trainer,retreatleader,andpreschoolchaplain.Herpriorexperienceincludesteachingpianoandguitar,andsellingvolleyballandwrestlingequipment.