Homilette for December 26, 2007

Wednesday, Feast of St. Stephen, Proto-martyr

(Acts 6:8-10;7:54-59)

The play Murder in the Cathedral tells the story of the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170. Half-way through the play, the archbishop delivers his Christmas sermon. He tells the congregation that in the Christmas mass not only the birth of Jesus but also his passion and death are remembered. This dual remembrance indicates that the Christian life is neither pure joy nor pure sorrow. We live both on every occasion. Thomas goes on to ask, “Is it an accident … that the day of the first martyr follows immediately the day of the Birth of Christ?” No, the Church deliberately places the martyrdom of Stephen on the day after Christmas to temper our celebration. We must keep in mind the dual sentiment of Christian life.

Unless people think that the dual sentiment is solely the invention of the Medieval Church, we can point to the same duality in both Luke’s and Matthew’s Nativity accounts. In Luke after Jesus is born his parents take him to the Temple where the holy man Simeon makes the foreboding prophecy that Jesus will be a sign to be contradicted. In other words, Jesus’ enemies will do him in. In Matthew the horror is more obvious. Jesus’ birth occasions the jealousy of King Herod. To eliminate his rival Herod has all male infants of the area two years and under murdered.

We must take to heart the traverse sentiments of Christian life. Our happiest celebrations like a dear friend’s birthday should not ignore the fact that fellow humans are suffering often dire need. Similarly, our most intolerable burdens like the loss of a loved one should not go without faith in Christ’s victory over sin and death. Christians are neither rosy-eyed optimists nor unrelenting pessimists. No, we live both the death and the resurrection of the Lord deep in our hearts everyday.

Homilette for Decembe 25, 2007

Christmas Day

(Lk 2: 15-20)

Christmas may be fulfilling or disillusioning depending on how we respond to the occasion. God provides us a golden opportunity. With the supreme gesture of goodwill, He sends His son to us. What are we going to make of it? In the gospel this morning we find three groups of people all reacting differently to God’s offer. The shepherds hear the favorable news, investigate the claim, and recognize their savior. They represent the people who really do appreciate the value of God’s gift. They are much like us at mass this morning. We know that our Savior has come and we must follow him by letting go of our own troubles to serve others. We will do this for awhile and perhaps make it through New Year’s without becoming overly perturbed. But then, we will be sorely tempted to cuss the old man driving slowly or the young woman speeding between job and family.

The second group we meet in the gospel passage are those whom the shepherds tell of all that they have heard and seen. These people are said to be amazed by what they are told. But this, even in biblical times, means little. Many in the Gospel are amazed by Jesus’ miracles but fail to respond with true discipleship. Their faith has little root like, perhaps, the majority of people celebrating Christmas. They buy and buy, party and party. But somehow the motive behind the celebration gets lost. Is it not telling that on the day after Christmas radio stations stop playing Christmas carols, department store decor changes, and tinseled trees wind up in empty lots? Christ, the prince of peace, the savior of the world, has precious little practical effect on this lot.

The third group in the Gospel story is actually just one person. Mary is said to reflect on the events of Jesus’ birth in her heart. She is the model Christian who not only hears but also meditates on the word of God. In Luke’s gospel she also is pictured as putting that word into action. We find people like Mary running to Elizabeth when the angel tells her that her cousin is pregnant. She gives us a model of how to live out our discipleship of Christ. The young bachelor who teaches catechism even though the majority of catechists are married women with children is acting on God’s word. Also, the elderly woman who on Sundays cooks for her family, listens to the problems of her neighbors, and prepares the monitions and intercessory prayers for Mass clings to God’s word like Mary.