Readings for Christmas:
Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:1-20
December 25, 2006
The Rev. Karen Faye Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shined.” [Isaiah 9]
During my pilgrimage to Italy, I had the great privilege of seeing many famous statues by well-known sculptors. Among some of my favorites, were those by Michelangelo Buonarroti. The “Pieta” one of his most famous, was finished when he was only in his early twenties. It is a masterpiece to behold. When asked how he created a piece of sculpture, Michelangelo answered that the statue already existed within the marble. God had already created the Pieta, the David, and the Moses. Michelangelo’s job (as he saw it) was to get rid of the excess marble which surrounded God’s creation. And so Michelangelo used his gifts of creativity and skill to free the figure from the heavy marble that hid its beauty.
I believe that this is what the religious journey is all about. The purpose of the religious path is to remove the excess marble and heavy baggage which surround us, so that the beautiful creation that God has made in each one of us, can be seen in all its glory. “The glory of God is the human person fully alive!”
When the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us, a great sculptor was introduced into the universe. Through his words, works, example, and spirit, Jesus showed humanity how to remove the excess marble that hides the beautiful people God has created us to be. By following his way, truth, and life, we become our true selves; people of the Light who are committed to justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being.
Today, we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of this great sculptor. This is what Christmas is all about. It is about Jesus’ birthday. But at this birthday party, we are asked to go beyond the birthday cake, the presents, and the party dresses, to a deeper level where the story of hope can be heard. In today’s gospel, we hear an early chapter of this story of hope. The details are sketchy but the point is well made. In an insignificant part of the Roman Empire, to an insignificant Jewish couple, a baby was conceived under questionable circumstances in what could have turned out to be a disastrous situation. The delivery seemed to have gone well, but the baby’s cradle was an animal food stall, the hotel accommodations were primitive, and those in attendance were unclean shepherds. Clearly, this is a story of humble origin. Yet here we are some 2000 years later, continuing to tell the story of his humble birth. Why? We tell this story over and over again, in order to remember that with God, all things are possible. We tell the story to hear the promise of hope, which is nothing less than the full transformation of the human race and all of creation. In him was light, and “the light shines in the darkness.” [John 1]
The story of Jesus does not end in a stable in Bethlehem. That is only the beginning. For transformation to happen, we need to take the baby out of the manger and place Christ at the center of our lives. We live in a world that rejects love, supports violence, and affirms selfishness as the ultimate value. These values dampen our hope, engender cynicism, created darkness, and paralyze our resolve. Is there is way out of the darkness? Yes!
In the person of Jesus we are able to fully discern God’s will for creation. The Christian life is about a having a relationship with God rather than simply believing things about God. It is a way of humility that is far more powerful than aggression. It is a way of generosity that is much more satisfying than over-consumption. It is a way of cooperation that is far more effective than domination. It is a way of peace that is far more life giving than conflict. In summary, it is a way of life that engenders the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. If this is the kind of life you hope for, then celebrate this feast of Christmas with great joy. “For unto us, a child has been born, a son has been given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called, ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.’” [Isaiah 9]
| Updated 12/27/06 |
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