Christmas C 2003. Our Lady of Grace.
This holy night the whole world pauses in silence to hear the most powerful, moving and glorious story ever told - the story of the first Christmas. The images of the first Christmas have touched every corner of our globe. Painters, musicians and simple folk will tell the story over and over again, in every language and culture of the human race this day. We have heard the Christmas story since we were little children. We know it by heart. We would immediately recognize and object if any part of the Christmas story were forgotten or changed.
The story of Christmas began with the message of an angel to Mary and her total yes to something that had never happened before. The story that is so familiar to us was all new the first time around. It was a mystery Mary embraced in faith.
Joseph had a dream about a child that was not really his…and
yet it was. Then there was the long trip
to
Soon there were angels and shepherds, and finally
astrologers or wise men from the East. Every part of the Christmas Story makes sense
to us. To Mary and Joseph it wasn’t just
another Christmas. The birth of the
Christ Child was an event to be lived moment by moment as it unfolded…a mystery
of faith that future generations and the writers of the gospels would
understand even better as the story was told over and over again. Mary treasured all of these things in her
heart and responded the best she could as things kept happening and would keep
happing throughout the whole of her life.
Perhaps it was fortunate that she did not know about the death of her
Son on the day of his birth. People of faith have the grace to live one moment
of the mystery of their lives at a time.
Mary and Joseph are our mother and father in walking day by day by
faith, trusting God. They show us that while the story of our lives may be new
to us and even a mystery that we do not yet understand, God is truly with
us. God walks with us and is born within
us. Because of the miracle of
The American Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote a pilgrim’s prayer that I find helpful in facing the mystery of life. While we would like to image that Mary and Joseph understood everything perfectly on the first Christmas, they were also on a journey of faith. Merton wrote:
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”
Thomas Merton was a convert to the Catholic faith who found
in the Church the light of Christ that allowed him to walk courageously in a
world of darkness. John Cardinal Newman
was also a convert to the Catholic Church.
His search for Christ led him through a deep knowledge and love of the
Bible into a full and active life in the Church of England. He was ordained an Anglican priest and was very
active as a teacher and preacher. He
lived at a time when there was much tension and even hatred between Catholics
and Protestants. John Newman said many
harsh things about the Catholic Church – and his Catholic opponents certainly
retaliated. But John Cardinal Newman was
on a pilgrimage of faith that began in the Bible and ended in the Catholic
Church he so much despised. Because he was well known and his choice was not
popular in
Lead, Kindly light,
amid the encircling gloom, Lead me on!
The night is dark and
I am far from home – lead me on!
Keep my feet; I do not
ask to see the distant scene – one step enough for me.
I was never thus, nor
prayed that you should lead me on.
I loved to choose and
see my path, but now, you lead me on!
I loved the garish
day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will:
remember not past years.
So long your power has
blessed me, sure it still will lead me on.
Over moor and fence,
crag and torrent, till the night is gone,
And with the morn
those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved
long since, and lost awhile!
Along the narrow and
rugged path that you yourself have trod,
Lead, Savior, lead me
home in childlike faith, home to my God.
To rest forever after
earthly strife,
In the calm light of
everlasting life.
Lead Kindly Light,
lead me on.
(Sing) “O Little Town of Bethlehem, How still we
see thee lie!
Above they deep and
dreamless sleep the silent stars go by;
Yet in the dark
streets shinneth the everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears of
all the years are met in thee tonight.”
May the light of Christ lead us safely home through the darkness. Merry Christmas!