St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Wesley Chapel, FL
Preacher: The Rev. Adrienne R. Hymes
December 25, 2022
Christmas III
Gospel: John 1:1-14
Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born [this day] of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
A few days ago, I stumbled upon a truth-telling Roman Catholic nun’s video about the reason for this holy season. Mother Angelica, the late foundress of The Eternal Word Television Network, looked straight into the camera, and inquired of her viewers, “What are you going to do for [Jesus] for Christmas? It is his birthday, you know.” She continued, “I never saw anybody who had a birthday, and was ignored so much, by so many people. You break your neck buying gifts…But do you remember whose birthday it is? What are you going to give to Jesus?[1]”
Mother Angelica’s question reminds me of the question utilized by advertisers this time of year, “What do you give someone who has everything?” As we attempt to explore what we might give to Jesus on his birthday, it occurs to me that we should start from the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”[2] John’s prologue reminds us that before the created world came into being, the mind of God was Being—existence itself.
The Greek word, logos, means “word,” “reason” or “plan.” So, the Word, as it is expressed here, is God’s reason (the mind of God) or God’s plan; it is the divine principle of reason that orders the universe and links the human mind to the mind of God.
This linking, or bridging, from the temporal, human mind to the eternal, divine mind of God is made possible in and through God’s unique revelation of God’s self—the One who is the exact imprint of God’s very being—Jesus Christ[3]. On the day of his birth, the invisible, primordial Being (meaning before all time), became visible in the incarnation—the Word became flesh and lived among us. It’s a miracle and it is a mystery. Who doesn’t love a good mystery and who isn’t fascinated by the possibility of a miracle?
If we know that people are naturally drawn to mystery and fascinated by miracles, then the three months of secular Christmas (started in October) offer a perfect opportunity to encourage vibrant curiosity, and to invite all people into this holy, and active, mystery and miracle of the good news of God in Christ.
Speaking of sharing the good news of God in Christ, in the beginning of John’s prologue, the author introduces a man, sent by God, whose name was John. We know him as John the Baptist.
John’s only function, in this gospel, is to testify to the light coming into the world so that all might believe through him. John’s human testimony was the means by which people come to believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, and those who believed in Jesus’ name were given power to become children of God.
God sent John with the purpose of pointing people to the true light that enlightens the world. John’s purpose was to share the mystery of the nativity of the Lord, for those who walked in darkness, and to invite all to participate in the unfolding miracle of God’s self-revelation in the world.
Embracing the incarnation is a matter of what 11th Century Doctor of the Church, St. Anselm of Canterbury, believed to be faith seeking understanding. Anselm said, “I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order that I may understand.”
In our post-communion prayer, we release the arrogance of the human desire to know the unknowable, and to make tangible the intangible, when we thank God for “feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of…our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of [God’s] Son.[4] Notice that we thank God for the holy mysteries, which include the Eucharist, Baptism and, yes, the Incarnation—all of which are God’s gifts to us.
Like John, whose only function was to testify to the truth that “…the Word became Flesh and lived among us…” (v.14), the Church uniquely exists to witness to this holy mystery; that through very visible actions of love, healing, justice and reconciliation, people may see Christ, through the Church—and be led to believe in order that they may understand.
God is counting on his faithful people—YOU—to joyfully participate in His ongoing work of reconciling all people to Himself, and to each other, through His Word—the Word who was in the beginning; the Word who was with God; the Word who was God.”[5] If we, who know Christ already, and are entrusted with taking the Gospel message to the ends of the earth, don’t authentically speak up and show up in the world, who will make Christ known?
Mother Angelica’s question, “What are you going to give to Jesus?,” should not be a mystery. In the beginning, God gave himself to humankind and to His created world; is it not fitting that we offer our selves, our souls and bodies as reasonable, holy and living sacrifices to God?
On this, the day that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday, let us give thanks to God and celebrate the gift that God has given us in joining the fully divine and the fully human in the person of Jesus. And, as the gifts are opened, and the meals enjoyed, we must, as Mother Angelica said, “…Remember whose birthday it is.”[6]
With wonder and awe, come to the altar offering to God, all that you are, as you receive the holy sacraments of Christ’s body and blood. Let us go forth from this place, celebrating the gift of the holy mysteries of God with us, and in us, as we bear the hope of Christ in this dark world. On this most holy day, and in this most holy season, we joyfully celebrate, God’s unique, most precious gift of Jesus—when life as humankind knew it, was forever changed. Amen.
[1] Mother Mary Angelica, The Eternal Word Television Network (ETWN). Facebook Post https://fb.watch/hBLysei5ky/. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
[2] John 1:1
[3] Hebrews 1:3
[4] Post-Communion Prayer (BCP, p. 366)
[5] John 1:1, 14
[6] Mother Mary Angelica, The Eternal Word Television Network (ETWN). Facebook Post https://fb.watch/hBLysei5ky/. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
