The arrival of a baby transforms a home and family! In addition to the changes in routine, there is always a desire to see, hold, and entertain the newborn. Infants are like “human magnets.” We just seem to be drawn to them. Today the Infant Jesus draws us. But he is no ordinary infant. A Christmas carol asks “What Child is This?” The Creed provides an answer. This Child is “the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father, through him all things were made” and who came down from heaven for our salvation.
At Christmas, you see, God revealed himself not as a distant, detached, remote, unconcerned God but a God made visible, who has drawn near to us, who understands and loves us. Jesus lays down garments of his glory to be wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger in order that we might be raised in glory with him.
This is the great truth of Christmas. Ours is not so much a celebration of “Christmas spirit” as much as a celebration of “Christmas truth.” When we think about it, this truth gives meaning to the traditions that mark these holy days.
We give gifts because God has given himself to us as a gift, wrapping his true divinity in true humanity.
We decorate Christmas trees. They are “evergreen” (especially if artificial!) as a reminder of the everlasting, the eternal life, Christ came to give. They recall Genesis’ tree of paradise, that is to say, the fall of our first parents that is restored at Calvary as the “tree of life.”
We string (perhaps with much frustration) many lights on our houses to remind all who pass by of the birthday of the true Light, who illumines a world darkened by sin and strife.
We bake special cookies because the Messiah has come to lead us into a land flowing with milk and honey. He has given us “Bread from heaven, having all sweetness within it.”
Just days ago, Pope Francis encouraged us to promote the most important tradition of this day--setting up the Nativity scene...the crèche, the manger, the presepio, a custom begun by St. Francis of Assisi. I hope you have a crèche at home and I hope you will visit the crèche here in our church. There is a custom of taking a piece a straw from the crèche. I did not understand why some people did this until someone explained that there is a belief that if you keep a piece of the manger’s straw in your wallet, it would never be empty! [I stuffed my wallet!] But if this is the only reason I approach the crèche, I miss the whole point of the mystery we are called to contemplate—a mystery that is expressed so beautifully by Fr. Ermes Ronchi:
What child is this in the manger? Behold him! The eyes of this child are the eyes of God. His hunger is the hunger of God for each of us! The hands that reach out toward his mother, reach out also to me. He that walked on the carpet of galaxies makes himself small and begins his life in a manger. He that separated light from darkness and created the earth and skies comes to earth to offer himself on a cross. At Christmas, the Word is a Child who cannot yet speak. The Eternal God is a newborn, at the dawn of life. A cattle stall becomes the dwelling place of the infinite.
The arrival of this Baby transformed history. May his arrival transform us as well.
