A homily for The Nativity of the Lord — Christmas, December 25, 2021
Readings from the Mass at Night: Is 9:1-6, Ti 2:11-14, Lk 2:1-14
‘Tis better to give than receive.
Every child knows that. Every adult says that.
Every person of faith, justice and charity tries to live up to that.
So what’s the best gift to give today and every day?
Ourselves, the way Jesus did.
St. Paul instructs us, as he informed Timothy:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
And St. Luke, quoting a host of angels, lets us know that, if we follow these guidelines, there will be:
on Earth peace to those on whom [God’s] favor rests
Other translations, more traditionally, say, “Peace on Earth. Goodwill toward humankind,” or “Peace on Earth to people of goodwill.”
And, Heaven knows, God’s peace is what this angry, tribally divided, diseased world desperately needs. That would be the Christmas gift of all Christmas gifts!
We can be that gift. We must be that gift.
But there’s action in goodwill, not just warm fuzzies.
In the second chapter of his letter, St. James makes it crystal-clear:
What good is it, brothers and sisters, if someone says they have faith but does not have works? Can that faith save them?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?
So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
So:
We put goodwill into action. We do more than merely have tender feelings toward our brothers and sisters on this earthly journey toward our heavenly home.
We listen to people’s vastly divergent points of view with patience and kindness, and gently try to show them where they are mistaken when it comes to science, solidarity or simple facts.
We share our treasures with the less fortunate, live more simply, be satisfied with the good things God and our lives have given us. We remember the story Jesus told of the widow who gave two small coins to the temple — all she had — and how it was a far more valuable gift than the donations of the rich, who skimmed off the top of their vaults. Because the widow gave from her heart, not out of some sense of obligation (or tax deduction).
We share our time, which is so, so limited and yet in such demand. We make time for prayer and then use our conversation with God to inspire us to share ourselves. God will let us know which of our many skills and talents are needed in this trembling world. And God will give us the grace and strength to give from the heart.
On this day we call Christmas, on this day when we sing “Glory to the Newborn King,” we remember that this King of Kings humbled himself to share in our humanity, and that he came to serve and not be served.
What a radical notion. What an upending of the status quo. What a light in the winter darkness. No wonder the hours of sunlight are getting longer.
Jesus walked the Earth to teach, to heal, to blaze the trail to peace and justice. When we follow in his steps, we become gifts — a birthday present to him, and a Christmas present to everyone in the world every day of the year.
Blessed, Merry Christmas!
