LAKE JAMES

NORTH CAROLINA

Christmas Eve, 2007 + St. Paul’s Church, Lake James, NC

+ In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

In what to me is an unusually odd episode of the Peanuts cartoon strip, Little Lucy is sitting in her home-made roadside stand with a sign advertising “Psychiatric help - 5 cents.” Charlie Brown rides up on his tricycle and sighs “Sometimes I think I don’t know anything about life. I need help! Tell me a great truth – tell me something about living that will help me.” Lucy thinks a moment, and replies “Do you ever wake up at night and want a drink of water?” Charlie Brown says “sure.” With great air of solemnity, Lucy advises “Well then, when you’re getting a drink of water in the dark, always rinse out the glass first, because there may be a bug in it! 5 cents, please!” Charlie Brown ponders the “help” he has just received and says “great things are even simpler than I thought!”

At Christmas, the Church also teaches a truth, a truth which is so simple even a small child can understand it, and yet, at the same time, a truth so profound that no human being has ever been able to understand it completely. That truth is that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, was born – for us. In just a few minutes, we shall join in affirming that fact by reciting the Nicene Creed which tells God’s reason. Listen carefully to the words we shall say: “For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.” Unlike Lucy’s advice about rinsing any possible bugs out of drinking glasses, this truth has direct and profound importance for us. The Incarnation did take place – God the Son became human, for us. For our salvation!

What is “salvation?” We hear the word a lot in church, but what exactly does it mean? When confronted with such a question, the Anglican Tradition teaches us first to look for answers in the Bible, and there we find an interesting progression in meaning. In the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament, “Salvation” refers to being saved from mortal danger, such as being healed from a terrible illness, or being on the winning side in a war, or even being victorious in a law suit! It may apply to a single individual, or to a whole nation, but there is nothing mysterious about it. God has intervened, God has saved the day, and that’s that.

In the New Testament, “Salvation” can apply to bodily well-being, but more commonly, it refers to the protecting of one’s relationship with God. But the big thing is that, in every case, Salvation originates with God. It is never something we do or something we earn. So, that’s what the word means, but why? Why does the Bible and human history show so clearly that it is God who saves? Again, turning to the Bible, the answer jumps out at us in words so familiar: “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son…” God’s motivation for giving salvation to humanity is simply love. God loves us –not because we deserve or have earned that love- but because that’s who God is. The message of Christmas is the message that, as God loves, so on a human and admittedly imperfect level, we are to love. Does that sound unrealistic? Consider that good parents love, devoted spouses love, siblings love, and friends love.

Love exists. It’s not simply an ideal, nor is it just an abstract concept. It’s a reality which I hope all of us have experienced and do experience. The Christmas crèche is a visible expression of that same truth. We do well to gaze in awe, wonder, and even astonishment at that scene, but we are not here to worship a carved figure of Jesus, no matter how appealing that little figure may be. Rather, we are led to the Living Lord, the Jesus of flesh and blood. The Mystery of Bethlehem becomes reality in the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, the Holy Eucharist. The flesh and blood which the Son of God took upon himself in the stable at Bethlehem is sacramentally and truly present under the veils of bread and wine in Holy Communion. We, in turn, take the place of his holy mother, holding his sacred Body in our hands and welcoming him into our hearts.

Will you forgive me if once more I call your attention to what I think are some of the loveliest words ever written for they describe so simply, yet profoundly, what happens when we receive the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Communion, words we sang just a few minutes ago: “How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given. So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven. No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him, still the dear Christ enters in.” It’s all about love – His love for us, and ours for Him.

Consider this: at Christmas, we celebrate the intrusion of God’s love into a world distorted by greed, cruelty, selfishness, and, perhaps, worst of all, indifference. A world as out of focus as Lucy’s concept of psychiatry, a world as unable to provide lasting purpose and meaning as Lucy’s advice was unable to give any real help to Charlie Brown.

It’s a joy to gather in this parish church on Christmas Eve to sing the old beloved carols and to hear the familiar story of the birth of Jesus. BUT – and it’s a BIG but, the celebration of Christmas should not be just a time of nostalgia, but rather the reminder of who God is, who we are, and why. So, let us pray that God will let us reflect His love by loving others, and letting ourselves be loved. May God be in our hearts, both this holy night, and through the years to come. A very blessed Christmas to you all!

+ In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The Reverend Alfred T. K. Zadig, Sr.

This page last modified on Friday, April 11, 2008 09:40 PM