Christmas 2019

This Christmas, let us focus for a few minutes on the announcement of the angel to the shepherds. St. Luke 2:10 says, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” The angel’s message “I bring you good tidings” translates two Greek words which could also be translated as “I announce good news to you” or “I proclaim the gospel to you.”

These words mean that Christ’s Birth is the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel. His Nativity is not an isolated event. It is part of the whole story, one aspect of the entire Christian message. This birth cannot be separated from all that Jesus Christ means in His teachings, life, death, resurrection and ascension.

The story of Jesus brings “great joy.”  Obviously, there are hardships in the story. Joseph and Mary are relatively poor people from a small village in an obscure area. At the whim of the Roman oppressor, they have to make a dangerous and difficult journey for several days. At the end, they have to take shelter in a rock formation used as an animal barn. Mary’s labor is real, and there are evil forces in the world plotting to destroy the holy child.

But despite all the humility and suffering that are part of the story, its message is about deep and lasting happiness, an inner blessedness. And this joy is open to all people. The lowly shepherds are merely the first chosen to hear. They are humble representatives of all God’s people through the ages.

Christmas continues to bring us a similar message. The deliverer that we long for still comes in simple ways. Christ comes to us through the unseen Spirit, the Word recorded in ancient tongues, and sacramental bread and wine. This is really good news; these are tidings of great joy. However, the joy of the message is not to be confused with external worldly happiness.

Sometimes, we do not always have the best external circumstances at Christmas. There may be issues of health, of family, or of job. There may be sad memories. We may not have the time or money or energy to celebrate as we wish. We may not be with some of the people we love. But such externals are not the true joy of the season. Christmas is about a deep joy based on our faith and hope in God’s love, grace and mercy. Such a joy can survive in any circumstance- even as it did in a stable among poor oppressed people.

So whether we have a great external celebration with lots of people, gifts, and food  or we just have a simple quiet observance, let us focus upon what God does- how He sends His Son, the eternal Word, to become flesh and dwell among us. God the Father sends the divine Savior among us to save us all from sin and death. This is the Gospel; these are tidings of comfort and joy. Glory to God in the highest!

Advent III 2019

On this Sunday, we often look at the role of John the Baptist, Christian ideas of ministry, or the work of Christ as a fulfillment of prophecies from Isaiah. These themes are good and important. The theme of Christian ministry is a strong one for the third week in Advent, but looking at the readings, I was really struck this week by a subtext, the implied divine nature of the Messiah.

In Matthew 11, when Jesus comments on His ministry and on that of John, He says, "For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee" (Matt. 11:10). This saying includes a quotation of Malachi 3:1 where the Lord God is speaking about "my messenger." This messenger prepares the way for God Himself. So John is a prophet and more; he is the messenger preparing the way for Christ who is Immanuel- God Himself who comes among His people!

Advent I 2019

Excepts from an ecumenical homily for Advent  

Many churches observe the season of Advent, beginning the fourth Sunday before Christmas- which is today. And even if your church tradition doesn’t officially observe Advent, early December is still a good time for reflection and spiritual preparation. The word “Advent” come from a Latin word that means “coming” or “arriving,” and it is good for Christians to think about Jesus Christ coming into the world and into our lives.

We can think of Christ coming in three tenses- past, present and future. Of course, in the past, we think of His coming at His Birth. This is the coming of the Lord longed for by Isaiah and other prophets. It is the coming announced to Mary by the angel Gabriel and pointed to by John the Baptist. This manifestation of God’s Son is what we commemorate in a special way in December. As the saying goes, Jesus is the reason for the season.

It is fitting for us to recall Christ’s historic coming into the world as the divine Word made flesh. We consider all that He did, all that He taught, all that His earthly life means for our redemption. We think of Jesus from infancy to Baptism, to public ministry, to the Cross, to His Resurrection and Ascension. Remembering His first coming is the essential foundation of Christian faith.

Secondly, we think of Jesus the Christ coming in the present tense. Sometimes, we tend to overlook this coming of Christ into our lives. He comes repeatedly. He keeps being born anew in our hearts. Jesus speaks of this ongoing presence a number of places in the Scriptures. 

The whole 15^th chapter of St. John speaks of abiding in Christ. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” In Matthew 28:20, He promises His followers, “and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” In Revelation 3:20, He says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Through His Word and through the work of His Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ comes to us many times in many ways. He asks us to be open to Him and allow Him to dwell in our hearts, minds and souls. He asks us to be His body and continue His presence and work in this world as He watches over us and intercedes for us from the Father's right hand.

Thirdly, as we remember Christ’s coming in the past and His repeated coming to us in this present life, we also look to His future coming. Our Lord has promised many places in Scripture that He will come again at the end of earthly history. This is a basic affirmation of all Christians. Christ will come to establish universal divine rule. He will come in mercy and in justice to set this fallen creation right. He will gather His people from all times and places into the fullness of eternal life.

This is a great hope and a strengthening truth for believers. Unfortunately, some Christians have gone a little crazy over the details. There have been wild speculations and unfounded claims. Some have even gone against the Bible by claiming to know the day or the hour. But as our Lord says in Matthew 24:42, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” And so as He adds in Matthew 24:44, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

As Christians, we should always be prepared and be preparing anew for our Lord. We should be humble enough and faithful enough to avoid too much speculation. Instead, we should focus on what we can do as we await the future. And what we can do is to accept the grace available to live in ways attuned to Christ, spiritually and morally.

We do not know exactly when God will bring this world to an end and establish Christ’s full rule. (And we may not be on this earth when it happens.) However, in the meantime, we must continue in faith, hope and love. That is the proper spiritual way to prepare for our Lord’s final coming.

In summary, the days leading up to the observance of Jesus’ Birth or Nativity should be a time of renewed devotion and spiritual preparation. We can think and reflect about the coming of Jesus Christ into the world and into our lives. Christ has come in history 2000 years ago, Christ keeps coming to us again and again, and Christ will come again in final victory and glory. Let us be open to Him in all these ways and live in spiritual preparation each day.