St. Paul’s Church in
Bergen, Jersey City NJ
January 4, 2015
The Second Sunday
after Christmas
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Psalm 84
Ephesians 1:3-6,
15-19a
Matthew 2:13-15,
19-23
Changed By Christmas
Merry
Christmas!
The
world has moved on from Christmas. Forget the Valentine’s Day candy, I’m sure
by now Walgreen’s has the chocolate Easter bunnies on the shelves!
But,
here in church, for a few more days at least, it’s still Christmas.
The
church is still decorated for Christmas and we’re still singing Christmas hymns,
celebrating the birth of Jesus, rejoicing that in and through Jesus God has
entered the world in a new and unique way.
So,
merry Christmas!
As
you might guess, the church staff and I have begun to reflect on Christmas here
at St. Paul’s – what worked and what didn’t work – things that we might want to
try next year.
But,
no matter what we do or don’t do over the so-called “holiday season,” Christmas
really changes us.
We
are changed by Christmas.
For
some of us that change might be a somewhat lighter wallet or a somewhat longer
credit card bill.
For
some of us that change might be real pleasure at a gift we have received and
the love that it represents.
For
some of us that change might be exhaustion – worn out from shopping and
decorating and cooking and, everybody’s favorite, cleaning up.
For
some of us that change might be joy at spending time with family or friends –
or maybe just relief at having some time off from work.
For
some of us that change might be a real sadness. As many of you know only too
well, Christmas can be very difficult for people who have suffered loss or who
are sick. Christmas can be challenging for people who live far from family and
friends. Christmas can be depressing for people who are alone.
It’s
hard when the world says we should have a “holly, jolly Christmas” when really
all we want to do is stay in bed.
But,
still, Christmas changes us.
Maybe
some of us were changed by our Christmas celebrations here at St. Paul’s.
I
know I was changed by the beautiful Christmas pageant presented by the children
of St. Paul’s and Incarnation. I bet I’m not alone in that.
Maybe
some of us were changed by the chance to really reflect on the great mystery of
God becoming incarnate – becoming a flesh and blood human being – in Jesus
Christ.
God
becomes one of us – joining us here in our messy often terrible and often
beautiful world.
Christmas
changes us.
And
now I’m going to step out onto theological thin ice, and suggest that Christmas
changes God, too.
Although
there are a few examples in the Old Testament where God changes God’s mind, I’d
be on firmer theological ground if I said that God is unchanging and
unchangeable.
But,
I have to believe that in some sense God was changed by the experience of
joining us here in our messy world – of having a flesh and blood human body and
experiencing the pleasures of a good meal and laughter and the everyday pains
of a stubbed toe or a toothache and the extraordinary pain of being nailed to a
tree.
And,
I have to believe that in some sense God was changed by Christmas – the first
Christmas - the experience of being born – born not in a luxurious palace to a
royal couple but in a cave or a stable to a couple of nobodies, placed in an
animal trough, with nobody – or, almost nobody – noticing or caring about the
blessed event.
And,
I have to believe that in some sense God was changed by those first days after
the first Christmas that we heard about in today’s gospel lesson.
Just
about from the start the powers that be are out to get Jesus.
We’re
told that an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream warning him to
take Mary and the child Jesus and flee to Egypt because Herod was on the
rampage, looking to kill the newborn king.
So
Joseph and Mary and Joseph are on the run – refugees in a strange land –
fleeing an oppressive government – fearing for their lives.
We
know, of course, that Mary and Joseph and Jesus survive this terrifying
experience, though the children of Bethlehem – the “Holy Innocents” – will not
be as fortunate, slaughtered by Herod in his attempt to kill the newborn king.
But,
although Herod failed, we know that eventually the powers of the world will
indeed catch Jesus and kill him, thinking they were done with him once and for
all.
Changed
by Christmas.
In
some sense, I believe that God was changed by Christmas.
Throughout
the Old Testament, especially through the prophets, God expresses a special
love for poor and suffering people.
Yet,
somehow, after Christmas, now God really knows in a new flesh and blood way
what it feels like to be poor, to be helpless, to be cold, to be hunted, to be
on the run, and to be frightened.
Maybe,
after Christmas, God’s love for the poor and vulnerable is somehow even greater
than it was before.
Well,
I may be wrong about God being changed by Christmas, but my prayer is that
Christmas changes us in ways deeper than just how much money we’ve spent
or the gifts we’ve received or even the sadness we might feel.
My
prayer is that Christmas – the story of God coming among us as poor – will
change us to be more compassionate to the people all around us who are poor in
material things and poor in spirit.
My
prayer is that Christmas – the story of God coming among us and hunted by the
powers that be – will make us more loving towards all the people all around us
who are on the run from oppression, abuse, and fear.
So,
merry Christmas.
The
world has moved on from Christmas. Forget the Valentine’s Day candy, I’m sure
by now Walgreen’s has the chocolate Easter bunnies on the shelves!
But,
here in church, for a few more days at least, it’s still Christmas.
One
way or another, Christmas changes us.
May
Christmas change us to have greater love for the poorest and most vulnerable
people who are all around us. Amen.
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