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Still basking in the glow of Christmas joy?  It was only a few days ago that we gathered here in this space to experience the spontaneity of children as they created the familiar traditional scene of Jesus’ birth.  Who can forget their smiles—their confidence adorned by curiosity and perhaps for some, there was trepidation.  Or who can forget their joy about simply having a part to play.  How wonderful the orchestra filled with the talent of our own youth and young at heart.  A true Christmas moment.

It was only a few days ago that we gathered here in this sacred space at 9:00 in the evening to rehearse the story of Jesus coming into our world--and why.  Each lesson and each musical offering danced its way into the soul, filling us with hope and love.  Candle light flickering about a dimly lit sanctuary as the melody of Silent Night filled the space and sweetly gathered us in peace.

The “family” reunion just after the second service -- it was a powerful image of how we extend God’s extravagant welcome to one another and then to the world.

The joy of Christmas created in this space, surely glows all around us continually offering light and life to everyone. Basking in this joy and this wonder, awe…this is where we all would like to stay, perhaps forever, but few of us really can.

While blessed by the presence of Christmas, some of us left this place Monday night knowing food would be scarce on their table the next day.  Others went home accompanied by the lingering grief caused by the death of a loved one. Still others left this sacred space knowing divorce, family violence, illness, job changes, financial pressures and unwanted retirement were an unhelpful reality.  I can imagine a few left feeling utterly lonely, while others were inundated with troubling childhood memories that cannot or won’t be forgotten.  Some may even be grateful the day has simply passed.  Many of us left this place filled with joy only to have it shattered by the news of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. 

Yes, in the best of all worlds, we would like to remain basking in the joy and celebration of Jesus’ birth. Our daily lives, however, do not readily offer us that opportunity.  Instead, life’s situations often cause us to leave manger scenes and memories of candles lit long before we are truly ready to do so.

Matthew’s gospel tells us that after the three wise men left for their own country by another road, Joseph’s peaceful night’s sleep was interrupted by a dream warning that he and his family were to immediately leave their home and flee to Egypt.  This was because King Herod was in search of their child in order to destroy him.  Neither Joseph or Mary could remain basking in the glow of Christ’s birth as long as they might have wanted or needed. With the threat against their child’s life, they had to pack up their belongings and move in a hurry.

We all know King Herod was not a kind person.  During his reign he ordered the execution of the entire Jewish Sanhedrin so that those who were loyal to him could be put in positions of authority. Out of fear and jealousy of their potential, Herod executed three of his own sons so they would not overthrow him in power or position. Then, as Matthew’s gospel tells us, when King Herod realizes the wise men will not return and disclose the precise location of The Christ child, he ordered the death of all children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and younger. It does not take much to understand that a small child named, God with us, made this powerful king feel weak and paranoid.

Truthfully, over the past three weeks, and especially within the last 24 hours, I have sought valiantly to find some legitimate reason to abandon this horrible story about greed and the killing of innocent children so that I could preach about something else; something more joyful. With Rachel I weep. I weep for every child who has died and died senselessly. I want to hang onto the joy of Christmas and to the beauty and safety of a candle lit sanctuary as long as humanly possible—and to hang on tightly!  Perhaps, hearing Matthew’s account, you do as well.

What has continued to draw me towards this story, however, is that still small voice that comes in a whisper and a dream reminding me that Christmas is not about my comfort.  Christmas is God’s response to a troubled world.  That whisper reminds each of us that we can not remain at the manger or in this sanctuary cooing with Christmas joy.  Instead, together we must move towards facing the truth about what was going on in Bethlehem more than two thousand years ago and what is going on around the world today.  Children are dying, all around the world and in our back yards.  They are dying because of greed and selfishness.  They are dying of hunger, AIDS, cancer, violence and more.  With Rachel we weep. With Jesus we move towards a different way.

Christmas Eve?  Christmas Eve—It was a silent night, it was a holy night and its beauty and joy shall remain in our hearts forever.  But, the reality is that we have to move beyond basking, simply idling, in the glow of Christmas joy, so that we can become a vital part of the in-breaking of “God’s incarnate presence in the world.”  Beyond the glow of Christmas joy, on the other side of these walls, this is where Jesus is needed the most.

Howard Thurman reminds us,

When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.

May it be so…

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all.  One is Evil.  It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorry, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.  The other is Good.  It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about this for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which one will win?  The old Cherokee replies, “The one you feed.”

To this day, we can see that the struggle between King Herod and the Christ child was and is waged outwardly in the world, we just have to look around us.  It is also true that this struggle is waged inwardly in every person. Herod was nourished by greed, envy and fear each of which shaped his response to God. We who gather in this sacred space—nourished by Christ’s birth, drinking in joy—are called to feed on Christ so that we might be ignited by the fire of Christmas love.  This is what is to shape our response to God.

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