Homily [4]: The
Nativity of the Lord/Christmas, Year ABC, Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Isa 52:7-10; Ps 98:1-6; Heb 1:1-6 and John
1:1-18 [day]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 [In the Year of Mercy]
In this Year of Mercy we celebrate, this day,
the Birth Day of Christ, the Light of the world, with such joy! Like many of you,
I found myself again making calls and sending many good wishes to my friends,
and family members, as much as time would allowed. I have also received many wishes
from so many of you (friends, colleagues, and family members). My heart is fill
with gratitude. I am very grateful to you. One of my cards read: “Dear Fr. Michael with the old wish that is
ever new- Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” I have kept reflecting on these words such
that I will like to say to you, “With the Old wish that is ever new, I wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”...!
At
Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, in our hearts, in our homes, cities and nations- the New Bethlehems. It is an old celebration that is ever new! It
is one of the happiest moments, and days of our Christian lives. On this day,
Christians all over the world (Africa, America, Asia, and Europe etc.), young
and old, rejoice, celebrate, give, and receive gifts, consolidate the messages
of hope and love, the good news, preached and heard during the past four weeks
of Advent. This good news is ever new, whenever
and wherever it is reenacted in play [like our children tonight], or chanted in
songs like in the Handel’s Messiah of 1741, it is ever new, and ever fresh and
sweet, irrespectively of the language or culture of the liturgy!
But circumstances surrounding
us daily, weekly, monthly and yearly define the newness of how we respond, or
how we celebrate this Christmas, each
year, even though it is an age-long celebration! Events of the past 11 or 12 months that have unfolded
around our families, our churches, religious communities, work places, our cities, our climates, our environments,
our nations and our world, leave many of us reflecting on how to celebrate
Christmas this year. Many of our
families today have experienced joys. Some have or are experiencing sorrows,
sicknesses, and good health. Some have even loss their loved ones. Many of us
today, also live in towns, communities and cities threatened by the fear of
Isis, severe climate change, warm weather, different kinds of mistakes (including—those made
by Steve Harvey as to who won Miss
Universe). Still this year, many live in
towns were there are gun violent, Boko Haram, terrorisms, refugee crises and
oppressive socio-political structures.
It is also a year that
Pope Francis has inaugurated an extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy- calling it “a
Special time for the Church when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective”
(Misericordiae Vultus 3). Believers
in what, one may ask? Believers in the true meaning of the mysteries of Christ’s
events, beginning with his birth, which we celebrate at Christmas.
In the Light of today’s
readings, and no matter the circumstances that we may live today, Christmas is
a celebration of the gift of life over death. It is a celebration of light over
darkness. It is a celebration of truth over falsehood, and grace over judgment. With mercy, God does not judge us as we deserve!
Christmas, in this Year of Mercy fulfils, those promises made to us by the Lord, through the mouths of
our ancestors and prophets- the fulfilment of those covenants which the Lord
had established with us- including, the promise of his abiding love, uncompromising
mercy, his kindness, his amazing grace, his surpassing generosity; his
faithfulness, his redeeming skills, his saving power in our lives, from one
generation to another.
In the first reading,
Isaiah, and ancient Prophet spoke of this Light as the redeemer. He is the one
who brings us glad tidings. He is
our champion. He is the announcer of peace and salvation in every generation. He
is the bearer of good news to all peoples (Isa 52:7-10). The good news of joy, the joy of hope, the joy
of mercy, the joy of peace. The joy of
good health. He is Christ our savior!
How we response to
this entrance of a joyful Light into our world of sorrowful darkness is
important! His parents can teach. Joseph and Mary will react with love. They handled
everything with patience and great care, in spite of the threats of Pilates and
those who opposes the Light. Zechariah, Elizabeth, and their child John
the Baptist, his precursor will respond 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.
