Dec. 25, 2012 Christmas Day

John 1:1-14

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
    3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
    6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.[b]
    10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
    14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Christmas is a love story.  It is a story which has moved hard
people to do beautiful things and cold people to let others warm up in their love.  It has stopped war, inspired great music, and warmed the heart of many a lonely, lost person.  

Christmas is the celebration of the sacred sign given to us in human form, that God is love.  Whoever loves is of God and God is of them.
As John tells us:
“God is love, and the (person) whose life is lived in love does, in fact, live in God, and God does, in fact, live in (them).”  I John 4:16 (Phillips)

God isn’t moved by power, prestige, fame, or fortune.
God’s isn’t impressed by what we do to show how holy, righteous, or important we are.  God is moved and impressed by how we love!

As Mother Teresa put it:  “We are not called to do great things for God;
we are called to do small things with great love.”

What we celebrate in Christmas is love, for
“Love came down at Christmas
love all lovely, love diving’
love was born at Christmas,
star and angles gave the sign.”
Therefore:
“Love shall be our token ,
love be yours and love by mine,
love to God and all (people)
love for plea and gift and sign.”


“The Word Became Flesh”

Christmas is here; and will soon be past.  The celebration of Christmas, which begins earlier each year, will soon be over.  Yet Christmas is never over.  It never ends.  It is hidden in every day, every word, every deed of our lives.

As we celebrate the Word which became flesh and dwelt among us, we also celebrate the Word becoming flesh - our flesh - and dwelling still in our midst.

We are to live our words and live The Word so that even our flesh becomes a presence of the God who became human and dwelt among us in Jesus.

God’s Word - God’s best word to us is seen before it is heard. felt before it is known, experienced before it is understood, lived before it can be spoken.
It became flesh and dwelt among us so we could best know it in the most human ways possible.   And that is also how we share it - by living it.

Henri Nouwen:  “The most important question for me is not, ‘How do I touch people?’  but, ‘How do I live the word I am speaking?”

Indeed, Christmas is not just once a year.  It is yesterday, today, and forever, as the Word becomes flesh in us and dwells among us.
Indeed, Christmas is every day!