Instead of our usual Christmas greeting, I am sharing here a
Christmas Eve Homily delivered by a Jesuit Fr. Ben Sim, S.J. Later on, the Gospel for the Christmas Mass during the day is taken from the Gospel of John, but this Gospel is not an Infancy Narrative like those found in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke. Instead, John's Gospel begins at the beginning, as it were, and presents the Creation story as the framework for announcing the Incarnation, God the Son becoming one of us.
John's opening words, “In the beginning . . .,” echoing the creation of the world in the opening verse of the Book of Genesis, sets the framework and invites us to view Jesus' birth from the eyes of God – that this was the divine intention from the very beginning, from the moment of Creation.
We have heard the Christmas story told and re-told every year since our childhood. Yet, it never loses its appeal and power to touch our hearts in varying degrees.
An anonymous story I came across recently - touched me in a special way.
In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at a large orphanage.
About 100 boys and girls who had been abandoned, abused, and left in the care of a government-run program in an orphanage. They relate the following story in their own words:
It was nearing the holiday season, 1994, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger.
Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger. Each child was given a small paper square, cut from yellow napkins I had brought with me. No colored paper was available in the city.
Following instructions, the children tore the paper and carefully laid strips in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel, cut from a worn-out nightgown an American lady was throwing away as she left Russia, were used for the baby's blanket, A doll-like baby was cut from tan felt we had brought from the United States.
The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one, but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously.
For such a young boy, who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happening accurately. . .until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger.
Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, “And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked if I had a place to stay.”
I told him I have no mama and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift.
So I asked Jesus, “If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?”
And Jesus told me, “If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.”
“So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him . .. for always.”
As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed.
The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon nor abuse him, someone who would stay with him . . . FOR ALWAYS.
I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.
So, for you and me, it is not what gifts we have for Christmas that counts, but who we have for Christmas.
Do you have Jesus for Christmas? But where do you find Jesus today?
Not in the Manger Crib. He left that more than 2,000 years ago.
There are some privilege places where we can encounter Jesus today.
Rev. Andrew M. Greeley has a story about how two eight graders told a pastor what to say in the Christmas homily.
Just before Midnight Mass, Sr. Pat and her eight grade class were in a panic state. The Baby Jesus for the Belen was missing. For the first time in the 75 years that the parish had been celebrating the birth of Jesus, an eight grade girl, accompanied by an eight grade boy, was to carry the Baby Jesus in the entrance procession. When the kids arrived early to rehearse their roles, they couldn't find the Baby Jesus from the place where it was usually kept. There was confusion as to what to do.
Then Mary Anne and Joey, the children chosen to act the role of Mary and Joseph approached Sr. Pat with their solution. “You told us the manger is a feeding trough and reminds us that the Baby is the one who gives us the Bread of life each time we come to the Eucharist. Why don't we put all the hosts into a basket and carry it in procession to the manger? Fr. Tom can talk about that in his homily and then we can bring the manger to the altar at the offertory procession.”
Of course, the pastor did as he was told and everyone remarked,
“What a marvelous homily.”
Then after communion, the Baby Jesus mysteriously appeared back in the manger looking newer and brighter than anyone ever remembered.
To this day no one knows when or how he got there.
On Christmas Day God brings us the Peace and Joy of His Love in the Flesh and Blood of His Son Jesus.
How do we live that Peace, Joy, and Love? How can we experience that amidst the chaos and godlessness around us, in a society of crimes and murders, and of typhoons, floods, and other calamities?
I hear some people say, “There's no Christmas for me.”
I cannot deny the sad situation around us, and around the world. Perhaps any suggestion I can give will fall short of your expectation.
But this I can say. The world that the Baby Jesus was born into was not much better than ours.
There was Roman domination.
There was much graft and corruption.
There was no freedom.
There was immorality and godlessness.
Yet Christ was born the Prince of Peace, to bring hope and joy to a world of sin and death.
Today Christ is still being born to our world of sin and death. He has entrusted to us His mission of bringing his message of Peace, Hope, and Joy to our fallen world.
Amidst the overwhelming tragedy of typhoon Pablo, we see how people responded to the needs of the victims. Some people even sacrificed their lives trying to save others. The volunteers working sleepless days and nights helping at the distribution centers.
Perhaps the question we should ask ourselves is –how are we bringing the joy and hope of Christmas to the people in need? To the people who are hurting?
Can we join the angels in proclaiming:
Rejoice! A Savior has been born.
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to All people of goodwill?
A blessed Christmas to All of You!
