CHRISTMAS EVE

During the last four Sundays, we have talked about the spirit of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. Lots of unique family traditions will find their expression dramatically changed on Christmas Day amid the presence of a major plague called COVID-19.

Aside from dealing with our fears that have made 2020 a very memorable year for most of us, has anything changed about us since last Christmas Eve? If not, we need to ask ourselves if we honestly wanted to change? Have some of us allowed our dark side, to show up with the people we love?

Tonight, are we only celebrating the birth of baby Jesus or are we also celebrating what that child grew up to teach us? I promise you this: How each of us answers that question will determine the pace of our spiritual evolution.

Many theologians and believers associate the purpose of Jesus' coming into our world was to die on a cross for our sins -- almost to the exclusion of what he inspired in people during the three years of his ministry. Something about him changed the lives of complete strangers long before his ministry became a threat to the religious authorities. What was this humble carpenter reflecting to strangers that made people want to change who they had become?

Do we remember Zacchaeus, the short tax collector who climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus? The two had lunch. After that very brief encounter Zacchaeus said the most amazing thing to Jesus. "I will give half of my belongings to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will give them back four times as much." (Luke 19:8) Think of it. What would inspire us to give away half of our financial assets?

We remember when the authorities brought a woman to Jesus whom they had caught in the act of committing adultery. They had planned to stone her to death. Jesus dismissed the crowd by saying, "He who is without sin cast the first stone," (John 8:7) One by one they dropped their stones and the woman escaped death.

I have no doubt that after he helped the woman to her feet. He said to her something like this: "You are a very beautiful young woman. Do not let men define you as an instrument for their pleasure. Go, and allow others to learn about the beautiful spirit that lives inside of you."

There was the blind beggar sitting by the side of the road. Jesus said, "What would you like me to do for you?" He said, "I want to see again." (Mark 10:51) How many of us had great intentions concerning the quality of our integrity and character and we took a detour into places we knew we should not go? We would give anything to see again because there was a time when our life's goals and purposes were clearer than they may be at the moment. Jesus restored his sight as he could ours.

There was the woman seeking healing who snuck up behind him just so she could touch the hem of his garments. (Luke 8:44) An official in a local synagogue came to Jesus because his daughter was dying. (Mark 5:22) A prostitute washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. (Luke 7:38) Nicodemus, a distinguished member of the Sanhedrin, came to Jesus and sought his wisdom. That wisdom changed his life. (John 3:2)

All of these lives radically changed as a result of being with Jesus for less than a day. Most of us have had Jesus for a lifetime. How much have we changed?

We are here tonight because of the birth of a baby who grew up to become the greatest change-agent of people's lives that the world has ever seen.

If we have not grown or evolved, what is it that we are forgetting? If we do not have the power within us to live in a manner that Jesus taught, there was no point to his ministry. How easily we forget the power of our choices! We are the creators of how we choose to interpret our life-experiences.

No matter how many times we review the Christmas pageant in our minds or recall fond memories of our childhood when we played the role of an angel, a shepherd, or being one of the Wisemen, we can leave our service tonight forgetting to incorporate within our lives the life-changing attitudes Jesus taught.

Last week, Lois was waiting for the bus to take her into Hamilton. She was growing tense because no bus came. A thoughtful woman slowed her car and said, "The bus service has been cancelled indefinitely. Someone among their staff has COVID-19." While being grateful to her, we thought of all the people on the island who were stranded because there had been no advanced warning.

On Friday, we suddenly had a power outage that lasted for hours. The outage affected most parishes. Attitudes of impatience developed. How long will this last? On such a beautiful day, what in the world could have caused an island-wide outage?

Strangely people's attitudes changed from impatience to gratitude once the power had been restored. Notice how attitudes changed when people got what they wanted. Jesus would have taught his listeners that such a change in attitudes makes them no better than anyone else. Even prostitutes and tax collectors would have the same response. (Matthew 21:31)

Can we remain intentionally peaceful and undistracted when our environment is testing the quality of our discipleship? Our hostile attitudes remind us who it is who lives under our skin. Our response is often one we hope will remain hidden. When our habitual, former responses return to us, they remind us that little has changed since last Christmas Eve.

One of the greatest fears of a mother is that her child will experience an emotional meltdown while grocery shopping. This happened at 2:30 p.m. to a woman whose child had missed her nap. The little girl was sitting in the grocery cart screaming, crying, and hyperventilating, a behavior that was attracting considerable attention from other shoppers. The mother kept saying, "It's okay Jennifer. We are just coming into the grocery store to buy a loaf of bread, milk, and a pound of butter. In a very short time, we will be home again."

It so happened that a noted author and child psychologist was in the same store. He was captivated by the remarkable calmness of the woman during her child's major upset. He listened to her mantra, "It's okay Jennifer. We are just coming into the grocery store for a loaf of bread, milk, and a pound of butter. In a very short time, we will be home again.”

As good fortune would have it, he found himself in the same check-out line as she and her screaming daughter, so he introduced himself. He told her how much he admired her calm, soft reassuring words to her upset child. He asked, "How old is Jennifer?" She said, "She is 26. I am Jennifer."

How many times we have been spared from making a major mistake in judgment, or having an over-reaction to a situation because we remembered the person Jesus said we are capable of being? "Do this in remembrance of me" is the message we recite in our preparation for receiving Holy Communion. Nothing about Jesus' ministry matters to others if we fail to remember his invitation to become messengers of forgiveness, kindness, and compassion.

Yes, we celebrate Jesus' birth tomorrow, but we also celebrate a way one life changed the world by giving people more wholesome and helpful options. Think of the humble roles played by Mary and Joseph who had zero visibility on the world stage of major human events. Think of the shepherds, who were on the last rung of the ladder of social importance. Think of the Persian astrologers who came into Biblical history only briefly and then vanished forever.

Jesus' birth stories started a spiritual chain reaction that transforms our material world once a year. It is our privilege to become a part of the same chain reaction that keeps Jesus' teachings alive in our present day and may become influential to future generations.

A poet, Helen Steiner Rice, wrote these words:

We cannot all be famous or be listed in 'Who’s Who," but every person great or small has important work to do.

For seldom do we realize the importance of small deeds or to what degree of greatness unnoticed kindness leads.

For it's not the big celebrity in a world of fame and praise, but it's doing unpretentiously in undistinguished ways the work that God assigned to us unimportant as it seems that makes our task outstanding and brings reality to dreams.

So do not sit and idly wish for wider, new dimensions where you can put in practice your many good intentions, but at the spot God placed you begin at once to do, little things to brighten up the lives surrounding you.

For if everybody brightened up the spot on which they're standing by being more considerate and a little less demanding . . . this dark, old world would very soon eclipse the 'Evening Star' if everybody brightened up the corner where they are.

Jesus had an incredible way of reflecting even to strangers who they had the potential to become. Discipleship is not about being good; it is about radiating goodness in everything that we do. Has Jesus influenced our attitudes? The answer to that question is worth pondering as we approach the New Year.

Merry Christmas every one! Stay safe.

PASTORAL PRAYER

This Christmas Eve we are united in the celebration of our faith. There is no other community in the world like a church family that stands on its hope and stares adversity and feelings of vulnerability in the face and declares, "There is nothing here that God and we cannot handle together."

You, O God, have expressed your love in a form that is very clear. Through Jesus you have declared for all eternity that we are loved and that there is nothing powerful enough, not our beliefs or disbeliefs, not our mistakes in judgment, not our attitudes or decisions that will change or dilute the strength of that love.

This evening, bless our sense of community with your profound presence. If the scales of self-absorption cover our vision, cause them to fade. Spare us from building the barriers that prevent love from coming in and shining through the windowpanes of our lives. May we not leave our church tonight, strangers to the peace that walking with you instills in us. We pray these thoughts through the spirit of Jesus, the Christ, who taught his listeners to say when they prayed . . .