Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Christmas Day- That awesome baby

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Once there was a king who would from time to time dress up like a regular person.  Then he would go out and walk around his city. When he was dressed like everyone else, no one recognized him as the king.  His ministers were worried that he could get robbed, beaten up or worse even get killed out there. And the good king answered: How can I know my people if I dont know who they are and how they truly live?
And that is exactly what Jesus, the son of God, did for all of us today.  He wanted to know what we are like and so he was born a baby just like all of us.  That my friends is Christmas- that awesome baby being born to us.


But why a baby? You see a baby can bring out the best in all of us.
You find yourself in a mall all strangers to each other, and you see a baby and people flock around the cute baby and they start talking to each other like they've known each other for a long time. You see a little baby could unite strangers.

Rough athletes who are very rugged and tough- you know they are not allowed to show any signs of weakness, right? Now bring a baby in their midst and they become gentle as lambs.  A baby could tame the wildest "beast."


Business minded finanzial wizards, stock brokers who would not even lift their gaze off the rise and fall of stocks in Wall street monitors. But in the presence of a baby they will watch Sesame street with the baby for hours instead. A baby could change the mindset of busy people.

Arrogant intellectual polyglots who would speak to you in different languages. Yet only a baby could make an intellectual humble and speak to the baby in cooing baby sounds. A baby could make those in high places come down to his/her level.

Perhaps that is why Jesus came to us as a baby to bring out the best in us. We have seen this in Lukes account of the Nativity – the birth of Jesus brought together, Jospeph and Mary, shepherds and kings, angels and even lowly animals. This Christmas story of a child a baby being born in a manger every year continues to inspire us.

But let us not forget another version of the Christmas story – that of  St John. This less sentimental version brings us into a mystery that forces us to view not only the cute little baby Jesus in a crib, but the reality that one day this baby will grow up and eventually be nailed in a not so cute cross.

Johns version gives greater meaning to that of Luke. St Johns story of the birth of Jesus does not begin in Bethlehem, rather it begins with eternity. Before time. A mystery without beginning or an end.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This tells the story of a God who chose to go outside of Himself, to relate beyond, Himself, to transcend Himself.

And then follows: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.   The literal translation is; The Word became flesh and pitches his tent among us. He makes his home among us. He lives with us.  He stays with us.  His name is Emmanuel – God now lives, stays, and breathes among us ordinary people.  That my friends is Christmas.

Its that baby whose cuteness we could not refuse- has started living with us and staying with us. That for me is Christmas. And thats the way Jesus would like it for all of us. That today we share our presence not just presents with our loved ones and even with those we encounter along the way who would be less fortunate. In that way, we see in each and everyone the reason for the season – the baby that comes down to us and brings us together.
 Merry Christmas.
 


Reference:
Bushell, S. (2013). Christmas Day homily 2013. St John the Baptist Parish. Sjb.org