The Saving Light of Christmas!

 

Homily the Nativity of the Lord (Day Mass Yrs ABC): Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo

·         Isa 52:7-10;
·         Ps 98:1-6;
·          Heb 1:1-6
·         and John 1:1-18
·         Isa 62:1-3;
·          Ps 89:4-5,16-17,27,29;
·         Acts 13:16-17,22-25;
·          Matt 1:-25[Vigil ],
·          Isa 9:1-6; ps 96:1-3,11-13; Tit2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14 [during the night], Isa 62:11-12; 97:1,6,11-12; Tit 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20(at Dawn]).

The Saving Light of Christmas!

 Today is the long awaited Christmas Day! Happy Christmas to you! Today we celebrate the birth of Christ in Bethlehem.  It is one of the happiest moments and days of our Christian lives. On this day, Christians all over the world (Africa, America, Asia, Europe etc.), rejoice, celebrate, give, and be given, from loved ones, family members and from Santa Claus! We consolidate the messages of hope, faith and love heard during the past four weeks of Advent.  Today we celebrate the gift of life over death, light over darkness, truth over lie, and grace over sin. We celebrate our commitment to our Christian faith, to love one another and to reach to those on the margins!

Christmas in a way fulfills those promises made to us by the Lord, through our ancestors, patriarchs and matriarchs.  Promises of  God's abiding love, his presence in our midst, his unshakeable mercy, his resolute kindness, his amazing grace, his surpassing generosity; his faithfulness, his redeeming skills, his saving power in human history, from one generation to another. These blessings reach their fullness in the incarnation of the Word/Logos [God], becoming flesh, and making his dwelling among us, carum factum est (John1:14), we heard in today's gospel!

In John's gospel we heard “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We celebrate today a God who has always been there with us, journeys us through the desert, through the red sea and in the burning bush. Today he is with us in the birth of his son Jesus Christ on this day of Christmas! His birth has given us new life and a light for the world. As John's gospel rightly put it “what came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” At Christmas Christ is not only peace and joy born for us, but Light!

Ordinarily we know the opposite of light is darkness. We use light to do many positives things in our lives. We use light energy, electricity to cook, read and brighten our ways. We drive with it on foggy and cloudy roads or in the night. Plants and crops need light for photosynthesis through which we have the green vegetable, lands and medicines. In fact, some cultures and families would name their babies "light", "uwnana," or "brightness" or "sunshine."  These are metaphors and symbols of good things: life's blessings, love, peace, kindness, forgiveness, charity, unity and joy, prosperity, growth, good health of mind and body. These are what we pray for each day!. Therefore, we should not be surprise that John's Gospel would use this metaphor to express the birth of Christ, and the importance of the child born for us today into a human world full of challenges, sometimes ugly ones!

In John's Gospel  just as light represents every positive things in this life, darkness is a metaphor for negative things in this world: war, terrorism, illnesses, exiles, hostility, hatred, racism, and oppression of the poor, discrimination of all forms, anything we know that is sinful, forbidden by the church, and our faith traditions. I am sure, Pope Francis would loved to add here the abuse of planet and our mother earth, if we go by his Laudato si ( Care for the planet).

Israel's prophets, Isaiah in particular, spoke of this Light when he prophesized  “behold a virgin shall conceived and give birth to a son, and his name will be called Immanuel” (Isa 7:14).  This Light then is the redeemer, foretold in the first reading. He is the one who would free the exiled and brings us glad tidings. He is the announcer of peace and salvation in every generation, and the bearer of good news to all peoples (Isa 52:7-10). He is Christ our savior, the Light of the world!

 How do we response, How do we react to this Light? How we response to this entrance of Light into our world of darkness counts.  His parents, Joseph and Mary reacted with love, patience and great care, in spite of the threats of Pilates  and those who opposes the Light. John the Baptist, his precursor responded with great humility. The angel broke into a great song, “Glory to God in the Highest… peace to people of good will”, which we began this Mass with. The remnant of Israel, the shepherds of Bethlehem, Simeon and Hannah, all saw and received Christ as a gift, as the saving Light of the world, as God’s revelation and presence in their midst, and were exemplary in their lives to others.

In the same way we want to receive this Light with joy of a missionary discipleship willing to spread and share the joy with our friends. We want to allow it shine and reflects in our homes, in our neighborhood, churches, society, and wherever we are, in our thoughts, words, and actions, in the gifts we share and through the witness we bear to the Gospel.
Let me conclude, perhaps this lengthy reflection with what Pope Francis told us about Christmas in 2015. He said “Christmas is you, when you decide to be born again each day and let God into your soul. The Christmas pine is you, when you resist vigorous winds and difficulties of life. The Christmas decorations are you, when your virtues are colors that adorn your life. The Christmas bell is you, when you call, gather and seek to unite. You are also a Christmas light, when you illuminate with your life the path of others with kindness, patience, joy and generosity. The Christmas angels are you, when you sing to the world the message of peace, justice and love. The Christmas star is you, when you lead someone to meet the Lord. You are also the wise men, when you give the best you have, no matter who. Christmas music is you when you conquer the harmony within you. The Christmas gift is you, when you are truly friend [sister] and brother of every human being. The Christmas card is you when kindness is written in your hands. The Christmas greeting is you, when you forgive and reestablish peace, even when you suffer….. A very Merry Christmas for all those who look like Christmas.” Merry Christmas!
Reflection Questions:

1. What is Christmas for you?
2. Apart from Christ, as Light what positive metaphor can you use to describe Christ's loving presence in your life and faith community?
3. Apart from material gifts what  spiritual gifts does Christmas inspire you to contribute to your society, particularly your faith community?