Christmas Homily

I am excited to wish all of you a Merry Christmas because it also means you’ve made it to the end of the year. These past months I have seen a lot of frustration, sadness, and isolation. But: Christmas … is supposed to be that moment that draws us out of the everyday where we can have joy… just be excited again! We’re meant to put a pause on normal life to celebrate the moment when Jesus…God … joined our side , as a human, to fix fundamental problems. No, not fixing Earth, that’s never been the point. Instead, fixing the relationship between us and God, and teaching us the true meaning of everything. First, I want to provide a meditation on the Christmas story, to really understand what God did … so that you and I can just be in awe of what Christmas means. And then, how do I work with God to make good things happen, just like the first Christians, Mary and Joseph.

To begin, a meditation on Christmas through a story simply entitled, “The Man and the Birds.” This husband and his wife lived on a homestead with their farmhouse, chicken coop, barn. The wife was extremely Christian while this guy took no interest. On Christmas eve, the husband told his wife to stay home from the midnight mass because snow was coming. She did the beautiful wifely thing of going anyway … their church was only a quarter of a mile away anyway. She leaves, but he stays up. He was all sorts of worried because the snow and wind started to pick up. In the night, looking out with the window with the porch light, he just barely made out a group of birds that came almost crashing down right in the middle of their yard as the wind became impossible. The birds hopped around, unable to take off again due to the wind. The aggravation and fear for his wife pushed him to at least do something about these dang, birds. He got bundled up, opened the barn door, and tried to herd these birds into the barn at least for the night. But every time he approached they would scatter and go hop off in all directions. He was afraid that if he tried to capture them to drag them into the barn that He would hurt them. In his frustration, he had a thought: “If only I could become one of them, I could explain everything and tell them where to go!” Right in the middle of that … from a quarter of a mile away … he heard the faint toll of the bell at the Church. At that moment, he finally understood Jesus on a whole new level. God became one of us, to simply explain everything and point out the way.

Everyone. This world, especially 2020, is like a blizzard. Seems we can’t fly on our own, we don’t know where to go, we’re weak and feel helpless. That’s why God actually became one of us and we celebrate it at Christmas. God knows we’ll be truly at peace and at home in His Church with His way of Life. God will never capture or force you to believe, because that takes away your free will and that harms us on our deepest levels. Instead, He simply left us His teaches and reaches out for us on a spiritual level. It’s completely up to you what you want to do with them.

Whoever you are, this Christmas, meditate on the Man and the Birds. Jesus became one of us and will speak directly to your questions, fears, anxieties, and restlessness. He wants nothing other than to save you. All you and I have to do is cooperate the best that we can. And that actually brings us to our second point, how do I work with God who wants to lead me home? I would say the best places to look on how to do this comes from the example of Mary and Joseph.

Let’s look at Mary first. Here was this young girl, visited by God through an angel and essentially offered a whole different life. Mary didn’t know how things were going to work out … she most likely had fear, confusion, and anxiety, because the relationship with God was going to change everything. But, despite not knowing how her world was going to change, she said yes.

That can be our meditation from Mary tonight. Saying yes to God, changes things and it might be scary. Saying yes, means that I actually learn about the Church Jesus left us 2,000 years ago. It means taking time to think about mass … why God Himself said it’s so critical. The “yes” of Mary is being bold enough to say, ok, Lord I trust that your teachings are for my best … even though I might not see how at this time. But here’s the promise. If you learn, and ask me, and go out and do things like put on Catholic talks while you drive or whatever … those are small ways of saying “Yes” to God like Mary. Opening yourself up to a God who wants to change your life for the better.

What about the “Yes” of Joseph. One of the meditations about tonight's Gospel is that it really is possible that Joseph believed that Mary was faithful. That God asked her to carry His child. Joseph, was a righteous man, and could have easily thought, “this is out of my league … I’ll just gracefully bow out because this is too much from some guy like me to be involved with.” Wrong. God wants to come to the average person. I’ve heard too many lies that people believe. God’s only for those who have time, or God’s only for those super holy people and not just for someone like me. Incorrect! He wants to be with you. Whoever you are. Wherever are.

The longer reading that was the alternative for tonight is called the genealogy of Christ. In short, the family of Jesus. In those names are all people in the Bible you can look up with all the choices good and bad. There’s a king, an adulterer, a righteous man, a prostitute … the list is kind of a mess of humans … but that’s the point. Jesus was born into this crazy family line to show you and me that He wants to come into OUR crazy and imperfect lives. He loves us and wants to help!

In short, we just need to say “yes” like Mary and Joseph. Mary said “yes” when she didn’t know how things would change. When we learn more about God, pray that little bit each day … that’s saying “yes” like her. But then like Joseph. Don’t count yourself out. You’re the exact person that God would love to communicate with each day. That every silent moment or thought can be a conversation with Him for guidance, encouragement, or fun or joking. That’s saying “yes” like Joseph.

In short, be joyful this Christmas season. Remember the story of the Man and the Birds. God became one of us to communicate with us and save us. And how are we supposed to say “yes” to that? Well, just like Mary and Joseph. It takes Faith that He loves you, but it takes your mind and heart to put in the effort to know Him. Pray the rest of this mass by gathering who you are, the good and bad, and presenting them, offering them to God who wants to heal you and lead you home. That’s good worship. Now as you gather who you are, you’ll come in contact with God in the Eucharist. Ask Him to help you Celebrate this Christmas because we’re celebrating a God who enters into the mess … in order to bring healing, joy, and peace. May the Lord bless you with these gifts as we celebrate Christmas.