CHRISTMAS 2015 – YEAR C
December 25, 2015
- This morning’s Herald-Sun had an editorial on Christmas Eve. “It’s a time for religious observances and for focusing on what is important – family and friends.”
Mary with Jesus
Christmas
Click to enlarge pic - What is important is more than family and friends. It is Jesus, born for us, as Savior and redeemer.
- Christmas comes, at a time, an antidote to community stress and burnout. (Paris and San Bernadino but the ongoing carnage in Syria).
- Most priests try to find their best sermon so as not to loose the opportunity of fuller churches.
- This year I was given a kind of gift – a homily.
- I had just finished a day of retreat at Surrey Hills in Sydney, for the Sisters of Blessed Mother Theresa, the Missionaries of Charity.
- At the end the sisters thanked me and gave me a card to Blessed Mother Theresa plus a letter to their Co-workers. In it I found the Christmas Story which is my homily for today.
- Fabio, an 8 year old boy, is sitting in front of the Christmas Crib and looking at Jesus.
- Fabio falls asleep and dreams.
- In the dream the baby Jesus asks Fabio three things: “Fabio, will you give me three gifts?”
- He already loves Jesus and Christmas and immediately thinks that he will be asked for his new mountain bike or computer games.
- But he is a generous kid and says back to the baby: “Ask whatever you like and I will give it to you.!”
- Fabio, will you give me the last school exam that you did?”
- But that one I FAILED!” says Fabio.
- “Fabio that is the one I want and promise me that, everything that fails in your life, you will always give it to me.”
- Fabio is relieved.
- The second gift that I want you to give me is you special glass for milk”.
- Fabio feels embarrassed. “But Jesus it is BROKEN.”
- “I want it. And promise me that you will give me all that is broken in your life.”
- “Will you do that?” Fabio promises it willingly.
- The third gift that I ask from you is the answer you gave your mother when she asked you how the glass was broken?
- Fabio started to cry. “This I cannot give you Jesus. I told a lie saying that it dropped from my hand but, in reality, I was in a temper and smashed it on the floor.”.
- The baby Jesus looked at him: “I want you to give me this lie, and all the lies of your life. Will you do that?”
- “Yes, Jesus, I will always give you my lies.”.
- Fabio then wakes up and his heart is filled with great peace and joy.
- He knows that today a Saviour has been given to us, born into our hearts and into our world.
- He takes all our failure, brokenness and deceit: everything that we think is not good enough – ourselves – to give to God.
- No wonder we celebrate and come to church, for nobody can do this except the incarnate word of God. The child Jesus we praise and glorify.
- He is love come down from heaven and men and women lifted up to God.
- All that is failed, broken and dishonest in our lives manages to surface at the end of the year and is sometimes addressed in New Year resolutions.
- But we thank God for Christmas.
