Centuries have passed, tears of incredible sorrows have washed the earth, joys and wonders have abounded, nations have risen and empires fallen, through it all there is a story, a legend, a myth that has remained... or perhaps, it is more than that. In the midst of all the ancient pagan cults, the gods of Olympus, the cults of Saturnalia and Baal, the gods of Egypt, the human sacrificing cult to Pan, there is a story that rises and befuddles the consciousness of all believers in such things. A story so strange, so bold, and at first glance so... pathetic comes upon the scene.
It is one that would be most easy to discount as mere nonsense or blatant blasphemy, except for the fact that this story has inspired millions, yes even billions to specific way of life. This pathetic story has also inspired many to give up home, family, and even their very lives before denying the truth of this story. Not only this, but this story has inspired the single greatest faith community to rise in the midst of the Roman Empire, endure the fiercest of persecutions then and throughout the centuries, and to remain consistent in its teachings and actions. This Church as we now know it, has been responsible for the preservation of Western Civilization after the fall of the Roman Empire, it has been responsible for educating generation after generation of children, it introduced the world to a developed understanding of the University, it has given the world some of the greatest thinkers of all time (Galileo, Thomas Aquinas, Hildegard von Bingen, Albertus Magnus, Nicolaus Copernicus, Augustine, Rene Descartes, Blaise Pascal, Isaac Newton, Gregor Mendel, Max Planck, and Louis Pasteur to name a few. Also this Church has defined and formed cultures and nations for two millenia. Finally, this Church has been the refuge for thousands of sick, despised, hated, poor, and persecuted and it has been the voice that has continually spoken out in a cohesive way to decry the evils of communism, genocide, abortion, child abuse, and countless others.
Although this Church, again which originates in this pathetic even coming close to blasphemous story, has done so many great things, it has also been the target of severe criticism for hypocrisy and evil often times which is appropriate. Nevertheless, the question remains, what is it in this story upon which this Church is based, that has allowed it to endure evil within its own ranks, persecution from without, and the test of time, retaining its glory and tradition and making an historically significant and undeniable impact on the world.. What is it that has enabled this Church's truly marvelous life? Let us enter into this story and discover what it contains that is so special to inspire nations.
As the tradition and story goes, not simply according to the Catholic Christian Book, the Holy Bible, but also according to other historians, Jewish and secular, Josephus, Tacitus, Seutonius, and Phlegon for example, there was a man who lived who was known as Jesus, Christ, or as the Romans referred to him, Christus. Several historical works recount an eclipse at the time of this man's death and a great light in the sky at the time of his birth. The story goes that there was a Jewish couple, Joseph and his wife, Mary who were travelling to the town of Judah, Bethlehem to be counted in the Census ordered by the governor of Syria at the time, Quirinius. Joseph was of the household of David and so he was required to go to a town of David who descended from Judah. That town was named Bethlehem. And so, Joseph and Mary set out while Mary was a ways into her pregnancy with her first child. Even the circumstances surrounding Mary being pregnant were a bit strange, for she had not entered into marriage with Joseph yet, they had not relations with one another and Mary was a virgin. Of course there were skeptics, but so the story goes.
Finally, the couple arrived in Bethlehem and began to seek a place for the night. As this was well before the days of telephones not to mention cell pones or internet, there was no way to make reservations at the Holiday Inn in advance. Joseph began to make the rounds of the local inns expecting to find a room with a bed I suppose for himself and his pregnant wife. Unfortunately and presumably to Joseph's great chagrin none of the inns in Bethlehem had any rooms available at all. For many this story is painfully familiar, but take a moment to step back in time and place yourself in the shoes of Joseph. First of all, there were no North Face jackets and Marmot hats and gloves to keep one warm, not heated seats in the BMW or remote start. Secondly, there was no way to travel quickly to the next town over or to quickly connect to the 4G network and determine where the closest open room was and to reserve it all in advance. Joseph, the father, protector, head of his family, could not provide a place of warmth for his pregnant wife to say for the night. I imagine I would feel like a failure as a husband and father. Finally, in desperation, Joseph accepted an invitation to spend the night in the stable of one of the inns. What a comfort, and what glorious accommodations. Many are not even willing to spend the night in a cheap Motel 6 these days... it has to be the Holiday Inn or even the Marriott so the beds are soft enough and the rooms clean enough. Joseph of course was not left with much of a choice and so he leads his wife and the child in her womb down to the stable, which was most likely a cave. It had neither warmth or provisions, cleanliness or a welcoming bed. In fact, the stable did not even have privacy! The animals of other travelers and perhaps the travelers themselves were privy to every action of Joseph or his wife. We learn that it was in fact the time for Mary to give birth and so she does, without medication, doctor, midwife, or even a bed or warm room to be in. She gives birth to her son in complete poverty and vulnerability. The birth is successful and she holds the wonder of new life in her arms and the surroundings and discomfort cease to matter. She is engulfed in love and she is mesmerized by the closeness of herself to this new person in her arms and the strong protector beside her. An incredible love is present, so real it almost feels as if she is holding that very love in her arms. Quickly she wraps the child in swaddling cloths and since there was no cradle or crib, Joseph, ever the father improvises and clears out the animals feeding trough to use as the baby's cradle. There the baby is lain to close his eyes and sleep.
As the hours pass, some shepherds in a nearby field claim to have had angels appear to them singing and proclaiming the birth of the new King of Israel just on the outskirts of the town of Bethlehem, a short way from the shepherds' fields. They come to see this newborn king and are probably skeptical but also captured in wonder after having celestial beings appear to them. Later on three men from the east, three astronomers, have followed a great star in the sky to the town of Bethlehem. They in turn pay their respects to this little child. This vulnerable bundle of joy and love. If one has ever held a newborn child, one knows their helpless nature and their complete dependency upon others; for everything! Yet this is the story of the birth of this child that inspires so many throughout so many centuries and has inspired the single greatest and largest Church on the face of the earth.
This story is truly pathetic, truly one of poverty and neglect by the world, yet at the same time, this Church, and the early Christians many of whom gave up their lives, claimed that this little child was and is in fact the son of a one, true God. In the face of many cults that adhere to gods who often act more like barbarians than humans, the Christians claim that their God is one, and that he is love. This God's love is so great that he has offered his only son as the savior of mankind. For man had fallen out of favor with God, had in fact rejected their God. This God did not see fit to abandon mankind but sent his son, both divine and human, into the world in the most vulnerable of states, as a child born in the coldness of poverty but surrounded and protected by the love of his parents. This child would grow up, living an ordinary life for about thirty years. He would then spend three years preaching a message of love and then being crucified as an ordinary criminal for those teachings. The story doesn't end there however, but it is testified by hundreds at that time that he in fact defied the laws of nature and rose from the dead. This is the story that has inspired such magnificent occurrences in the ensuing centuries. This is the story of the King of Heaven and Earth becoming man. This, is the story of Christmas, the story we celebrate this Sunday, the twenty-fifth day of December.
Whether or not you believe in this story or profess belief in a God. One if he is to acknowledge the historians of the world and the true state of the world, he will have to see that this story has had a truly remarkable impact on the history of mankind. In fact, this story has rocked the earth to its very core. The world since the time of this story has not been the same, and never will be the same. Yes, perhaps it is just a cult of this one man that has held on for years, but I am skeptical of that view, for I know of no other Church, no other organization, no other group, no other theology and philosophy, no other world view which has lasted for two thousand years, and not simply lasted but thrived, and directed the course of history in such a significant manner.
So I give thanks as we approach this feast, this festival that we celebrate. For this story is one of incredible proportions and I would not be who I am if this story had not taken place and I know the world in which I live would be quite different as well. So I give thanks for all the goodness, all of the love that is present in my life. I give thanks for a family, a Church, a God who loves me, wonderfully loyal friends, a roof over my head, a job as a teacher, good health, and for life itself. In this world so filled with suffering, so filled with evil and discontent, as I think about things, measure for measure, I have been given so much that the good clearly outweighs the evil. No matter the wounds or scars you and I carry, remember that we have a body and soul to be able to bear those scars. We have a body and soul that can live in spite of those scars and in fact grow from them. We can still experience joy and pleasure. As the times change, and as we receive more scars, wounds, and losses in our hearts, we ought to be thankful that we do in fact exist, that we are in fact, in the place, state where we are in this moment. This life we lead is hard and at times seemingly insurmountably difficult, but in the final summation of things it is indeed good.
So give thanks! Pray for peace and love, and live life to the fullest! May you be blessed as we close this Advent season, may the joy of the Christ child fill your heart throughout the Christmas season, and may you experience the incredible warmth and healing of the love of a Father who sends to you His only son. Of a man, a brother, a captain, a king, a lover, who loves you so much that he was born in poverty and died forsaken for no other reason besides saving you. Merry Christmas to you, may your heart overflow with joy. God love you!
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