Christmas Eve
Homily
Text ……… Luke 2:1-20
But the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good
news of great joy for all the people..."
These
are the words with which the angel who appeared to the shepherds watching their
sheep began the announcement of the birth of Jesus. Tonight, we gather in the
darkness of this night to hear again the announcement of this birth, not as
shepherds in the field but rather as sheep in the world.
There
is something rather interesting in this greeting that we could easily miss. The
Evangelist of this Gospel from which tonight's Gospel is rather unique. The
other three Evangelists were beyond any shadow of doubt of the Jewish people.
The Church has traditionally said that Luke was in fact a Gentile and not a
Jew. And if in fact he was not a Jew, it seems that perhaps Luke might have
some agenda for referring to the news of the birth of the Savior of the world
as good news.
Luke
paints for us a picture in which the power of God is made known in the birth of
the Messiah precisely at a time when the Roman Empire was showing its power by
demanding a count of all in the region whom they had forced to be under their
authority. The Romans did not want the people of Palestine to forget who was in
authority.
And
here is where things get interesting. Perhaps Luke knew that the Roman Emperor,
Caesar, was referenced as "the Savior of the World." The Roman Empire
and Caesar spoke of their presence among the people that they had conquered as
the salvation of these lands and peoples, and attempted to convince them that
they were better off because of the Roman presence among them. So firmly was
this believed, in fact, that any proclamation made by Caesar was first heralded
as "Good News for All People."
Only,
in fact, that proclamation was even stronger. The word used of Caesar's
proclamation is the word, "Euangelion." This is the word that is
translated in the Scriptures as "Gospel." The Romans truly believed,
and wanted all others to believe, that the words of Caesar were Gospel truth
from the Savior of the World.
Tonight
the Evangelist Luke invites us, as in times of old when the angels invited the
shepherds, to behold the true and sole Savior of the World; Jesus. This invitation is the reminder that the true
Gospel is always and only the Word of God known as Jesus, God Incarnate in human
flesh, dwelling among us and calling us through his birth, life, death and
resurrection, into the one Kingdom that never shall pass away; the Kingdom of
God. And how we need to hear that reminder. We may not be under the same set of
circumstances as the generation into which Christ was born. And yet tonight,
let's be honest with the fact that even today our world is filled with persons
who are acclaimed with various titles and praises that sound eerily like Caesar
being proclaimed as the Savior of the World. And whenever their proclamations
are ascribed to be Good News for the world in a way that sounds like what we
say of the Gospel, we need to ask these ones the question of Jesus, who once
asked, "Why do you call me good? God alone is good."
Indeed,
the Gospel for this night reveals the goodness of God. I say that because this
birth is the revealing of God in the flesh. If the son of Mary were just the
human son of Mary and of Joseph, dare I say this world in which we live 2,000
years after the birth of that child couldn't care less about this child and wouldn't
take the time to commemorate his birth. And whenever we find ourselves as
Christians among those who couldn't care less about the Christ even as they
rant about the "War on Christmas," we do well to remind them, as
Linus did for Charlie Brown, that everything hinges on the birth of Christ, the
true Savior of the World.
Only,
we need to go even further than Linus. I say that because by this time
tomorrow, the world around us, even those who have only a sentimental
recognition of the birth of Jesus as a child, will have forgotten everything
and put Christmas behind them. But the birth of this child, Jesus, is only the
beginning of the Good News. The heart of the Good News lies in the fact that in
his birth, life, death and resurrection, Christ fulfills the Law. And what is
even more important is that Jesus did not do this for himself. Jesus is the one
and only one born of woman who alone is without sin and is in fact not merely
good but perfect.
So
why did Jesus come to fulfill the Law? He came among us to do what we have
never been able to figure out how to do ourselves, and to do it in our place.
And remember what the fulfillment of law entails. Jesus himself beautifully and
powerfully explained what this fulfilment looks like in the Summary of the Law.
Our Prayer Book reminds us of this:
"Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On
these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Jesus
actually did this! In the fullness of the Gospel, we find that at all times
Jesus who loves God and neighbor perfectly, even when that neighbor is one who
hates him, who mocks and rejects him, who nails him on a cross and puts him to
death. Jesus sets for us an example, knowing that without his help we will
never be able to do so ourselves, and that without his assistance we will fail.
And then Jesus, who is boundless mercy, calls us to go and do likewise,
offering us the strength to do so and the forgiveness needed when we fail to do
so.
As
we give gifts to one another, marking these days of celebration, remember that
charge: “Go and do likewise.” Show love for God to God by giving the gift of
the love of God to neighbor, no matter who this may be. And when these Twelve
Days have passed, keep giving in that way, remembering that our faith is not
set on a child but on God. And if we are so bold as to do this, as Jesus has
first done in the world and for us, we will be reminded again and again that
the Good News of this Night is that Jesus is the Savior of the World, in whose
words and presence are found Good News, Gospel, that changes us and the world
forever!
Father Timothy
Alleman
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