The Nativity of the Lord – Christmas – Cycle B
December 25, 2023 – 6 and 9 pm
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton
When Night Ends
There is a story that several centuries ago, a wise old rabbi asked his students this question: how can you tell when night had ended, and day is on its way back?
One student responded, “Could it be when you see an animal in the distance and can tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?” The old rabbi answered, “No!”
Another student chimed in, “Could it be when you see a tree in the distance and can tell whether it is a fig tree or a pear tree?” And again, the old rabbi shook his head, “No!”
The students were becoming frustrated. One of them called out, “Well, then, when is it?”
The old rabbi responded, “It is when you look on the face of any man or woman and see that he or she is your brother or sister. Because if you cannot do that, then no matter what time it is, for you it is still night.”
O Holy Night
Well, on Christmas, we celebrate a very special night.
We sing, in one of our beautiful Christmas carols, O Holy Night. And we call it Holy because what happens on this night is intended to mark the end of night.
The birth of Jesus Christ is the moment when “day is on its way back,” to use the words of the wise, old rabbi. I see this happening in several ways.
Day Returns: All as Brothers and Sisters
First, the infant in Bethlehem embraces all human beings.
I find it significant that the Christ child attracts and reaches out to the poor, lower-class, uneducated shepherds. And he attracts and reaches out to the affluent, upper-class, educated wise men.
With his outstretched arms, Jesus sees everyone as brother and sister. And so, with him, the day is on its way back when we see our oneness with all other persons – be they refugees fleeing oppression or family members from whom we are alienated.
The Christmas carol O Holy Night invites us to see others in this way. Just think of the words:
“Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.”
Day Returns: Self-Worth
And then the infant in Bethlehem affirms our worth as persons.
God, taking on our humanity in Jesus, proclaims our inherent value as human beings. No longer do we need to feel worthless or doubt our self-worth.
The birth of Jesus has so fused the human with the divine that the night of a diminished sense of self is over. We can now find the basis of our worth in the day that the birth of Jesus brings.
And again, the Christmas carol O Holy Night proclaims this. Just think of the words:
“Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.”
Day Returns: Hope
And finally, the infant in Bethlehem gives us hope.
Sometimes we can grow weary trying to keep up with the stresses of everyday life. Sometimes we can grow weary as we look at the problems facing our country and our world – and those problems are very evident right now.
In the midst of this, the Christ child offers us the hope of “Emmanuel,” a name which means“God is with us.” He offers us the assurance of sustaining us through each minute of “night” until “day” starts to come back.
And again, the Christmas carol O Holy Night proclaims this hope. Just think of the words:
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
Conclusion
So, the night begins to end, and the day is on its way back.
That’s what the infant in Bethlehem offers us. No wonder we sing:
“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!”
