LUKE 2:15-20
ON CHRISTMAS EVE WE HAVE
SUPPER FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. I DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL
THE TRADITIONS CAME FROM; WE BREAK AND SHARE A WAFER OF BREAD, THE
OPATEK, A POLISH CUSTOM; WE EAT DRIED FRUIT – SOMETHING THAT CAME
FROM MY GERMAN GRANDPARENTS WHO FARMED OUT IN MONTANA, AND COULD ONLY
GET DRIED FRUIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER; WE HAVE SOMETHING FROM
THE SEA – THAT STARTED BACK WHEN CATHOLICS DIDN'T EAT MEAT ON
CERTAIN DAYS, INCLUDING CHRISTMAS EVE; AND WE ALWAYS HAVE PICKLED
HERRING, WHICH NO ONE REALLY LIKES BUT IT WOULDN'T BE CHRISTMAS
WITHOUT IT. UP UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE STARTED OUR CHRISTMAS
MEAL WITH OYSTER STEW. NO ONE LIKED THAT EITHER, SO WE FIGURED WE'D
JUST STICK WITH ONE THING WE DIDN'T LIKE, THE PICKLED HERRING.
TRADITIONS. YOU HAVE
THEM, WE HAVE THEM. THEY ARE MEMORIES ACTED OUT. WE CONTINUE TO
OBSERVE THEM BECAUSE THE MEAN SOMETHING TO US, EVEN IF TO NO ONE
ELSE.
IN THE GOSPEL READING, IT
SAYS THAT MARY “TREASURED ALL THESE THINGS AND REFLECTED UPON THEM
IN HER HEART.” AND THAT TREASURING AND REFLECTING MUST HAVE GONE
ON AND ON, EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE DATE OF HIS BIRTH. LONG
AFTER JESUS HAD ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, LEGEND HAS IT THAT MARY
REVEALED TO THE EVANGELIST LUKE THE EVENTS OF JESUS BIRTH – SHE WAS
STILL REFLECTING, STILL TREASURING.
SHE REMEMBERED THE MOMENT
WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT TOUCHED HER LIFE, AND SHE SAID, “BE IT DONE TO
ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD!” AND SHE BECAME PREGNANT. AND LIKE ANY
PREGNANT WOMAN, IT WASN'T ALL BLISS; SHE HAD MORNING SICKNESS, FELT
BLOATED, HER ANKLES SWELLED A BIT, AND SHE GAINED WEIGHT. AND THEN
CAME THAT TIME WITH THE PAIN AND PRESSURE AND YES, FEAR, FOR THE LIFE
OF THE CHILD, FOR HER OWN LIFE – AND THE INFANT BROKE THROUGH INTO
THE WORLD.
WE CHRISTIANS ARE TOUCHED
BY THE SPIRIT. WE CAN POINT TO A MOMENT IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE HAVE
BEEN INVITED TO CONCEIVE CHRIST – OUR BAPTISMS. THAT INVITATION IS
THERE ALL OUR LIVES, BUT THE SPIRIT WAITS, WAITS FOR US TO SAY, “BE
IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD!” BECAUSE HE WILL NOT ACT
WITHOUT OUR CONSENT. BUT WHEN WE CONSENT, JESUS BEGINS TO BE FORMED
IN US. IT ISN'T EASY. WE HAVE TIMES OF DOUBT, OF MISUNDERSTANDING.
SOMETIMES IT SEEMS THAT THE WORLD IS CONSPIRING AGAINST US. LIKE
MARY, WE ALSO HAVE TO STRUGGLE AND PUT UP WITH OUR HUMAN NATURE,
WHICH RESISTS THE CHANGES WE ARE BEING CALLED TO MAKE.
MARY REMEMBERED CHANGING
DIAPERS, PUTTING UP WITH SLEEPLESS NIGHTS WHEN THE INFANT HAD COLIC.
SHE REMEMBERED AS WELL HOW CUTE HE LOOKED WHEN HE WAS ASLEEP. SHE
REMEMBERED HIS FIRST WORDS, AND HOW DELIGHTED SHE WAS AS SHE BEGAN TO
SEE THE FRUITS OF HER EFFORTS, AS HIS PERSONALITY TOOK SHAPE, AND HE
BEGAN TO GROW INTO THE MAN HE WOULD BECOME, A MAN OF COMPASSION AND
LOVE, BUT ALSO A MAN WHO WORKED WITH HIS HANDS AND STUDIED HIS FAITH
AND CARED FOR HER AFTER JOSEPH PASSED AWAY.
WHEN WE CHRISTIANS HAVE
CONCEIVED CHRIST, THERE ARE MOMENTS OF JOY AS WE EXPERIENCE THE
TRANSFORMATION GOING ON IN OUR PERSONS. SOMETIMES WE EXPERIENCE
GREAT CONSOLATION, AND CAN ALMOST FEEL GOD'S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES.
A CHRISTIAN'S LIFE SHOULD BE TOUCHED WITH JOY. JESUS SAID THAT HE
CAME TO SHARE HIS JOY, SO THAT OUR JOY WOULD BE FULL.
MARY REMEMBERED A DAY
WHEN JESUS LEFT HOME. SHE REMEMBERED WHEN SHE AND SOME OF HIS
RELATIVES TRIED TO TALK SOME SENSE INTO HIM AND HE TOLD THEM THAT HIS
MOTHER AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE THOSE WHO HEARD THE WORLD OF GOD
AND KEPT IT. THERE WERE MANY TIMES WHEN SHE FELT ABANDONED AS HE
TRAVELED AROUND PALESTINE PREACHING AND HEALING. AND OF COURSE
NOTHING COULD BE AS HARD AS STANDING AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND
WATCHING THE LIFE LEAVE HIS BODY.
CHRISTIANS EXPERIENCE
TIMES WHEN THEY FEEL ABANDONED. THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE; A PAINFUL
DIVORCE; A CHILD WHO LEAVES HIS FAITH. WE FEEL ABANDONED WHEN CANCER
HAPPENS, OR WE LOSE OUR JOBS, OR SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS THAT REMINDS
US THAT WE ARE MORTAL, THAT WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL.
BUT MARY REMEMBERS THE
RESURRECTION WHEN SHE TOUCHED HER SON AND SPOKE TO HIM, AND SAW HIM
TRIUMPHANTLY ASCEND INTO HEAVEN. SHE SAW HOW HIS LIFE TRANSFORMED
THE FIRST CHRISTIANS, AND WHEN SHE CLOSED HER EYES FOR THE LAST TIME,
SHE HAD NO DOUBT THAT RESURRECTION WOULD FOLLOW FOR HER, AND HER JOY
WOULD BE COMPLETE, AND THERE WOULD BE NO MORE FEAR OF DEATH.
AND FOR CHRISTIANS, THE
RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS HOW WE MAKE SENSE OF OUR LIVES. ONCE WE SEE
OUR LIVES IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESURRECTION, EVERY MOMENT, GOOD OR
BAD, HAS MEANING. THE LIFE WE ARE LIVING BEGINS TO FORM A STORY
LEADING UP TO A WONDERFUL CLIMAX, INSTEAD OF SIMPLY A LONG SERIES OF
UNRELATED EVENTS.
MARY IS THE FIRST
CHRISTIAN, INVITED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BRING CHRIST INTO THE WORLD.
AND YET HER LIFE IS ORDINARY – THE ANGEL COMES AND GOES, AND HER
LIFE IS LIKE YOURS AND MINE, TIMES OF JOY, TIMES OF SORROW, SOMETIMES
FEELING ALONE AND ABANDONED, OFTEN FRIGHTENED. DID SHE HAVE DOUBTS
LIKE YOU AND I DO? I THINK SO, BECAUSE REAL FAITH DOUBTS; AND THERE
IS NO SHAME IN THAT. DID SHE HAVE TIMES WHEN SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS
SPINNING HER WHEELS AND HER LIFE WAS GOING NOWHERE? PROBABLY,
BECAUSE THAT'S HUMAN TOO. WE DO THE SAME THINGS DAY AFTER DAY –
LAUNDRY HAS TO BE DONE, MEALS PREPARED, THE CAR ATTENDED TO, THE
DAILY COMMUTE.
BUT MARY TREASURED ALL
THESE THINGS AND REFLECTED UPON THEM IN HER HEART. THAT'S THE SECRET
SHE TEACHES US, TO LOOK FOR GOD'S PRESENCE IN OUR ORDINARY LIFE, AND
THAT REQUIRES THAT WE BRING THESE THINGS OUT AND REFLECT ON THEM,
PONDER THEM, THE GOOD AND THE BAD. THE ANGEL CALLED HER “MOST
FAVORED DAUGHTER” AND SHE KNEW THAT EVERYTHING IN HER LIFE WOULD
SOMEDAY BE REVEALED AS A BLESSING, A GIFT. AND YOU AND I ARE FAVORED
AS WELL, AND THAT IS THE PROMISE – GOD MAKES TO HIS CHILDREN –
EVERY MOMENT IS A GIFT.
MARY CONCEIVED CHRIST,
GAVE BIRTH TO HIM, RAISED HIM IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD, AS EVERY
MOTHER RAISES HER CHILDREN; THE MAN HE BECAME, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR,
IS THE PRODUCT OF MARY RESPONDING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, LIVING OUT THE
JOYFUL CONSENT SHE GAVE, “BE IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.”
AND SHE IS THE EXAMPLE TO EVERY CHRISTIAN, BECAUSE EACH OF US IS
CALLED TO BRING CHRIST INTO THE WORLD, TO GIVE FLESH TO GOD.
