A Christmas Eve Homily from First Church….
A homily offered by the Rev. Ian F. “Jack” Steeves in the public worship of the First Congregational Church of Scarborough, Maine on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2007, 11:00 p.m.
“Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel (God with us)” (Isaiah 7:14).
“God’s Trust of Us”
A baby is a marvelous act of trust. From God’s point of view, every baby is a sign that God has not yet given up on us. From our perspective, we entrust one who is dearest to us to God’s love and an uncertain future.
This trust is evident in the birth of Jesus. Mary was a betrothed but unwed mother, and her fiancée was not about to take responsibility, nor support someone else’s child. Joseph’s dilemma was solved by an angel telling him everything was all right.
Angels and the Holy Spirit may seem at home in Old Bethlehem, but they seem to be out of place in a 21st century town in Coastal Maine, in this or any season.
Trust is encrusted in a context. So, before Joseph could accept the miracle of God’s intervention, he first had to appreciate the miracle that is present in any birth. Before Joseph could accept God as a donor, he had to accept the gift of life itself that relates him and all of us to God our Creator.
Joseph had to trust that old ways are not always the best ways; and that there can be something new under the sun (or the moon on a starry, starry night), and that happy endings can come out of uncertain beginnings.
And Mary, besides being full of grace, had to be full of trust. Before Mary could mother God, she had to trust that she was right, trust that she was worthy, and trust the greatness hidden in her humility.
But the greatest act of trust was on the part of God.
God had put trust in human beings before, countless times, and quickly become mighty sorry for it. The Bible is replete with human disaster after human disaster. And little or nothing had happened since Creation to give God any real reason to get involved again in human affairs; especially with a teenager. What could she possibly know about God’s promises or God’s people or anything else? God had to face it: Mary could make God look very silly and ruin the whole Incarnation thing at the very start.
God in heaven had to make a profound act of trust in human flesh – that is would treat Jesus well, that it would wear decently for at least Thirty odd years, fit comfortably and last until he died and God’s purpose was achieved.
God had to trust that people could do better than they had done so far. Trust, or call the whole Christmas thing off. There must have been much consternation in the halls of heaven, shaking of haloed heads, and flapping of disturbed wings – when the plans for Christmas were first announced and the details were being worked out.
And, just maybe, like God, we also really have only one option – to trust or not to trust that, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, we, too, can do better things than we have ever done. To trust, like Mary, that there is greatness in our smallness. To trust, like Joseph, that dreams and talks with angels can envision new possibilities.
As we hear the familiar story, it would be well for us to remember that those who first heard the story were living in dangerous times and places. Nations and people faced difficult choices in the First century; chaos and turmoil abounded in Palestine. Roman Peace was anything but peaceful. People were afraid, just as we are afraid when we realize how much hatred and misunderstanding are in our world tonight, and when we wonder what kind of society our children and grand children will inherit from us.
We are afraid. We cry out, “Is God with us?” Our tears for lost loves and empty dreams blind our eyes. Our ears are filled with the sounds of threat. “Is God with us?”
With trembling hands and fearful hearts, we have journeyed through Advent 2007 toward the birthplace of hope and reassurance. And we wonder – is there a word tonight more powerful than our fears? In a world where the sources of our fears are not likely to disappear in the first light of Christmas, is there a word that can enable us and encourage us to move forward in our life’s journey? There is!
The angel spoke to the shepherds and the echo of the words remains: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
Because Mary and Joseph and God trusted one another, the Son of God was born. With a little bit more trust from us, maybe something or someone will be born in us this Christmas. Think about it! Pray about it! Become it! May yours be a Merry and Blessed Christmas!
