Christmas 2017
Gabe Triplett & Sr. Phyllis Jaszkowiak Advent was about waiting for that “thing” as the shepherds called it. We have waited, now we are here. Here to celebrate. But what do we celebrate? Certainly, many around us are celebrating stuff, possessions, things that will be cool today and gone tomorrow. No, stuff is not what we have waited for and it is not what we celebrate. Tonight we celebrate that which God has always been waiting for and is always celebrating. That we recognize and then proclaim our own dignity as divine dwelling places, and commit ourselves, to give birth to, that which we recognize ourselves to be. Dwelling places of God.
Christ comes through and for Joseph. Forced off the land of his Mothers, then forced to return, all because of the decrees of occupational forces.
Who in our day is like Joseph?
Christ comes through and for Mary. Young, female, pregnant in a world that did not respect them. A woman strong in her conviction against the injustice of inequality, power, and wealth. Who in our day is like Mary?
Christ comes through and for Governments agents, who are charged with carrying out the law. Who in our day are like government agents?
Christ comes through and for the Shepherds. those waiting for a Messiah to lead them through might and power. By the Grace of God, they can find the messiah in a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. Who in our day are like these shepherds?
Christ comes through and for the sheep. Those who follow the Shepherd, who help the shepherd care for each other and for the earth. Who in our day are like the sheep?
Christ comes through and for Angels, who bring messages of hope, good will and love to our world. Who in our day are like the angels?
Christ comes through and for babies, newly born, helpless, depending on others for everything. Who in our day are like the Child Jesus?
The “Good News of Great Joy” in Christmas, 2017, is that Christ will come again! In fact Christ continues to come every day. Waiting to be born to each of us, for each of us, in each of us. Who here has not known what it is to be poor and powerless, vulnerable and courageous, or has searched for justice only to find you had been looking in all the wrong places? Who here has been an angel of hope to another? We have all known struggle. We have all known what it means to feel left out, to be the loser once again, and we have all been the good news and the great joy. Today we sing, not a mountain of presents. Today we sing from the mountain top, “God is ready to be born through us and to us.” That is a miracle worth singing and celebrating!
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