Nativity oljc 2014

The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ – 2014 (Part 1) Fr. Mark Greenaway-Robbins Ruth and I were in Tinseltown mall debating the merits of buying travel bags for flying. Whilst discussing an essential for international travel – the colour of ones’ luggage strap for baggage in the hold of an aircraft, the unforeseen happened. Having been bombarded with the soundtrack Santa Baby, in the middle of the luggage store I heard, seemingly for the first time, the song I want to see Christmas through your eyes. In Canada, on October 12, 1993 Gloria Estefan, one of the world's best-selling artists of all time, released her fourth studio solo album Christmas Through Your Eyes. The title track (previously released with a different instrumental arrangement on Estefan's 1992 Greatest Hits album – for the aficionados among you) takes us to the heart of the historical fact and divine mystery which we now celebrate. Let me explain.

What happens when we say to Jesus Christ, “I want to see Christmas through your eyes”? Who knew that Gloria Estefan has provided for us a prayer petition almost as significant as the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”)! As I made this prayer during Advent I found myself reading the Gospel account of Christmas with fresh vision. Here is what I have discovered.

(Through the social media platform Twitter, a tweet has a limit of 140 characters. So here follows a 140 word rendition of Christmas as told in the Four Gospels.)

Having existed always, Jesus Christ – the Logos – entered time and space. Jesus is born into poverty – Joseph and Mary offer the poor persons’ sacrifice in the Temple of two doves. Jesus is born into homelessness – no room at the inn leads to a stable. Jesus is the illegitimate child of a teenage pregnancy in a backwater province of the Roman Empire. Visited and adored by locals – uncouth and aromatic shepherds – and foreigners – the Magi – the life of Jesus began as it ended, in jeopardy. He was born as he died, his life was condemned. The worship which Herod desired to offer was not that of the shepherds, nor the Magi. Jesus became a refugee. His family and supporters helped him flee to safety, in Egypt. An angel sounded the all-clear and the Holy Family returned to their home in Nazareth.

Perspective is everything. According to the Gospels, Christmas, as seen from the eyes of Jesus, equals poverty, homelessness, illegitimacy, adoration, condemnation and becoming a refugee. Is this at the heart of your celebration this Christmas? What have we done to the commemoration of Christmas so that we have lost sight of the facts of Jesus’ birth?

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I know that some of you may be forgiven for thinking, at this point, that I am a latter-day Cromwellian!

That is to say, in 1647, the Puritan-led English Parliament banned the celebration of Christmas, replacing it with a day of fasting. It was not until the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 when the ban was lifted.

Well, I’m not preaching the ban of Christmas – though it is fascinating to consider what would happen if we trimmed away all the pagan festivities in which we are currently involved.

However, I am preaching that we pray like this, “Lord Jesus Christ help me to see Christmas through your eyes.” If poverty, homelessness, illegitimacy, adoration, condemnation and becoming a refugee are the facts of the Nativity of Jesus, what then is our response? How do we faithfully celebrate the Feast of the Nativity?

A first-fruit of this prayer is the realization that our faith and politics are inseparable. In essence, politics is an acknowledgement that in every human relationship there is a balance, often an imbalance, of power.

We wield power, in a paraphrase of Ecclesiastes chapter three (3.3), “to kill and to heal; to break down, and to build up.” It can be way too comfortable for us to say that we are celebrating the “mystery of the Incarnation.” Because the truth of this mystery is that “God with us” has entered into the world of human relationships. God has entered politics, that is to say each and every human relationship.

Jesus Christ – became poor so that we might enjoy the treasures of abundant life (Jn 10.10); became homeless so that we might find our true home with Christ (Rev 22.13); was illegitimate so that we might become the righteousness of God (Cor 5.1); was adored by outcasts and foreigners so that we might be assured of salvation (Mt 25.40); was condemned by the powerful so that we might be emboldened when condemned (Mk 15.1-15); fled as a refugee so that we might be inspired to serve those who flee for their lives (Mt 5.10-12).

Tomorrow I will explore the faithful response by Christians, in our time, who have prayed “Lord Jesus Christ help me to see Christmas through your eyes.” For now, forgive me for being blunt but: How does Jesus Christ recognize himself in our gift-giving? Who is served through all our spending?

How will Jesus be glorified in our eating and drinking at this season? Whom do we include and exclude?

How are we welcoming Jesus Christ into our lives through our frenetic seasonal preparations?

Tonight as you receive Holy Communion, and whenever you pray during the Twelve Days of Christmas, join with me in offering this prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ help me to see Christmas through your eyes.” May God give us the grace to respond to what we discover with faithful service.

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The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ – 2014 (Part 2) In the sermon last night we began with inspiration from a song by Gloria Estefan, one of the world's bestselling artists of all time, entitled I want to see Christmas through your eyes. I explained that during Advent I have been wondering what happens when we pray to Jesus Christ, “I want to see Christmas through your eyes.” As I made this prayer I found myself reading the Gospel account of Christmas with fresh vision.

Last night I offered a 140 word version (a 140 character tweet version seemed too demanding) of the Christmas story based on the Four Gospels, which goes like this: Having existed always, Jesus Christ – the Logos – entered time and space. Jesus is born into poverty – Joseph and Mary offer the poor persons’ sacrifice in the Temple of two doves. Jesus is born into homelessness – no room at the inn leads to a stable. Jesus is the illegitimate child of a teenage pregnancy in a backwater province of the Roman Empire. Visited and adored by locals – uncouth and aromatic shepherds – and foreigners – the Magi – the life of Jesus began as it ended, in jeopardy. He was born as he died, his life was condemned. The worship which Herod desired to offer was not that of the shepherds, nor the Magi. Jesus became a refugee. His family and supporters helped him flee to safety, in Egypt. An angel sounded the all-clear and the Holy Family returned to their home in Nazareth.

If poverty, homelessness, illegitimacy, adoration, condemnation and becoming a refugee are the facts of the Nativity of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels, what then is our response? How do we faithfully celebrate the Feast of the Nativity?

So this morning, I want to begin where we ended last night. Let’s take a look around our world to discover what has happened when Christians pray, “Lord Jesus Christ help me to see Christmas through your eyes.” We are going to focus on just three aspects of the Christmas story according to the Gospels: Jesus the refugee, Jesus who was homeless and Jesus the condemned.

What does this Christmas look like through the eyes of Jesus the refugee?

The population of Metro Vancouver is approximately 2.4 million persons. More than this number of people have fled Syria since January 2012, seeking refuge in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.

Imagine that – the entire population of Greater Vancouver as refugees! This is the current situation in Syria. In that part of the world it is now commonplace to see representatives from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. They with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and partners reach around 4 million people every month. And in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey, Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers are helping support thousands of people. Think of the generosity of donors and aid workers who see Christmas as an opportunity to serve Christ in helping refugees. Perhaps you too are one of them? Christ is adored through serving the refugee.

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What does this Christmas look like through the eyes of Jesus who is homeless?

The Street Outreach Initiative, the Coming Home Society and its Young Wolves Lodge, the Bloom Group – formerly “St. James Community Service Society,” the Salvation Army and the United Gospel Mission are just some of the organizations with whom we are in relationship as members of St. James’. Among us and beyond are donors, benefactors, supporters and volunteers who contribute to the work of each of these organizations dedicated to the care of the homeless. When we see Christmas through the eyes of Christ, supporting these organizations are some of the ways we serve Jesus who was homeless. Christ is adored through our care of the homeless.

What does this Christmas look like through the eyes of Jesus who was condemned?

In the words of a headline from the World Council of Churches website, “The world is giving itself a kind of Christmas gift this year, a serious gift and one that is long-overdue.” i On 24 December 2014 an international law to regulate the global trade in armaments and ammunition, the newly ratified Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), enters into force. This will save some of the 1,000 lives and more which are lost each day to armed violence. It is noteworthy, reports the World Council of Churches, that Church advocates have had a hand in securing the ratification of this treaty. Through the eyes of Jesus, is this not another way in which Christmas is celebrated, through the ratification of political will? How do you exercise your right to vote for the common good and protection of those who are condemned? Christ is adored through political resolve to protect the condemned.

We are celebrating Christmas, the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. So I shall draw to a close by posing the same questions I asked last night: How does Jesus Christ recognize himself in our gift-giving? Who is served through all our spending?

How will Jesus be glorified in our eating and drinking at this season? Whom do we include and exclude?

How are we welcoming Jesus Christ into our lives through our frenetic seasonal preparations?

This morning as you receive Holy Communion, and whenever you pray during the Twelve Days of Christmas, join with me in adoring the Christ-Child with this prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ help me to see Christmas through your eyes.” May God give us the grace to respond to what we discover with faithful service.

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http://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/the-new-arms-trade-treaty-a-life-saving-gift-this-christmas

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