Over 2000 years
ago, a miracle occurred on this earth when God Himself entered our world, in
fact, that is what a miracle is, the intervention of God in our lives.
So that by His entrance into our world He changed the entire universe by His birth, He transformed a single night by becoming a light even brighter than the sun itself.
And, today we celebrate the culmination of that entrance, the pinnacle of that miracle, we celebrate what countless Christmas Hymns point to a night, indeed, a simple night that was made holy by the birth of a child, but not just any child, the very king of the universe. And, when the very king and creator of the universe enters the universe, it must bow before its creator.
Because that was the very first time anyone knelt before Jesus to adore Him, the very first time anyone prayed in His presence, but He wasn’t in a monstrance, or on an altar, or in a tabernacle, He was wrapped in a blanket in a manger.
That is why today we find ourselves in Bethlehem kneeling before that same child and king, today we are those shepherds looking for our savior, we are the Magi following a star, because in the words of St. John Chrysostom, in his own Christmas homily: “Bethlehem this day resembles heaven,” and we are reminded of what that means, that this is the day that recalls when earth itself entered Heaven and when Heaven came down to earth.
Perhaps, since we are so used to the image, it doesn’t mean much, but it is really not common for someone to kneel before a baby or to bring gifts that that baby can’t use unless that baby is special, unless that baby is God.
And, this is what Christmas is all about, this is what has been romanticized, made into songs, poems, books and art, not the presents, not the trees, not the light, but the manger, the Nativity, the birth of our Lord and Savior into our world.
So that the same reality experienced over 2000 years ago occurs again this day, in this church, in our town, in our world, in our universe, and all of creation itself bows before its creator, and the very mystery of the Incarnation becomes tangible and unfolds before every single one us. So that, in the beautiful words of that Christmas hymn, O Holy Night “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices / For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
It is a mystery that is almost incomprehensible, a reality that is so overwhelming, so amazing, so phenomenal, that the only proper response in the face of such mystery is to fall on our knees, to fall down in adoration and to rejoice, to join with the angels and the saints in their triumphant hymn of praise.
Because, today, is holy, it is not just Christmas, it is a reminder of the very depths that God went through in order to assure our salvation.
God Himself, the very creator of the world, the one who breathed life into every single one of us, became a little child whom Mary held in Her arms the same child who held Her in His.
Someone shared a beautiful quote with me once, which encapsulates the beauty and the power of what we celebrate today, it says: “Every child wants to be a man, every man wants to be a king, every king wants to be God, but only God wanted to be a child.”
That is why we are here, this is why we gather in this Church, to adore Him, and to sing with the choirs of heavenly angels that triumphant hymn of praise, that hymn that was silenced during Advent, but is silent no more, the hymn that brought the light in this church and the light in the world: Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth.”
“Because today in the city of David a savior is born,” reborn, in our hearts, Christ the Lord, our Wonder-Counselor, our God-Hero, our Father-Forever and, indeed, our Prince of Peace.
So that by His entrance into our world He changed the entire universe by His birth, He transformed a single night by becoming a light even brighter than the sun itself.
And, today we celebrate the culmination of that entrance, the pinnacle of that miracle, we celebrate what countless Christmas Hymns point to a night, indeed, a simple night that was made holy by the birth of a child, but not just any child, the very king of the universe. And, when the very king and creator of the universe enters the universe, it must bow before its creator.
Because that was the very first time anyone knelt before Jesus to adore Him, the very first time anyone prayed in His presence, but He wasn’t in a monstrance, or on an altar, or in a tabernacle, He was wrapped in a blanket in a manger.
That is why today we find ourselves in Bethlehem kneeling before that same child and king, today we are those shepherds looking for our savior, we are the Magi following a star, because in the words of St. John Chrysostom, in his own Christmas homily: “Bethlehem this day resembles heaven,” and we are reminded of what that means, that this is the day that recalls when earth itself entered Heaven and when Heaven came down to earth.
Perhaps, since we are so used to the image, it doesn’t mean much, but it is really not common for someone to kneel before a baby or to bring gifts that that baby can’t use unless that baby is special, unless that baby is God.
And, this is what Christmas is all about, this is what has been romanticized, made into songs, poems, books and art, not the presents, not the trees, not the light, but the manger, the Nativity, the birth of our Lord and Savior into our world.
So that the same reality experienced over 2000 years ago occurs again this day, in this church, in our town, in our world, in our universe, and all of creation itself bows before its creator, and the very mystery of the Incarnation becomes tangible and unfolds before every single one us. So that, in the beautiful words of that Christmas hymn, O Holy Night “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices / For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
It is a mystery that is almost incomprehensible, a reality that is so overwhelming, so amazing, so phenomenal, that the only proper response in the face of such mystery is to fall on our knees, to fall down in adoration and to rejoice, to join with the angels and the saints in their triumphant hymn of praise.
Because, today, is holy, it is not just Christmas, it is a reminder of the very depths that God went through in order to assure our salvation.
God Himself, the very creator of the world, the one who breathed life into every single one of us, became a little child whom Mary held in Her arms the same child who held Her in His.
Someone shared a beautiful quote with me once, which encapsulates the beauty and the power of what we celebrate today, it says: “Every child wants to be a man, every man wants to be a king, every king wants to be God, but only God wanted to be a child.”
That is why we are here, this is why we gather in this Church, to adore Him, and to sing with the choirs of heavenly angels that triumphant hymn of praise, that hymn that was silenced during Advent, but is silent no more, the hymn that brought the light in this church and the light in the world: Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth.”
“Because today in the city of David a savior is born,” reborn, in our hearts, Christ the Lord, our Wonder-Counselor, our God-Hero, our Father-Forever and, indeed, our Prince of Peace.
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