"FIRST IMPRESSIONS"

THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (CHRISTMAS DAY) December 25, 2024

Isaiah 52: 7-10 Hebrews 1: 1-6 John 1: 1-18 (Shorter Version John 1: 1-5, 9-14)

by Jude Siciliano, OP

Dear Preachers:

Merry Christmas lovers of God's Word!

The Isaiah reading is a favorite for many readers of the Hebrew Scriptures. It certainly breaks a stereotype. You know, the one that describes the "God of the Old Testament" as harsh, judging and quick to punish. In contrast people describe the "New Testament God" as the kind and benevolent God who took pity on us and sent us Jesus to save the world from it's sin. It is as if, at the end of the Old Testament, God went to an anger management counselor and learned to be kind and forgiving and thus became the benevolent God of the New Testament. Forgive my spoofing tendency, but I still hear this "two-God-split" when people speak of the biblical God.

Israel had been in Babylonian exile for over a generation. The capital and holy city Jerusalem were in ruins and the Temple torn down. Even if they could return to their land they would find it in ruins. Weren't they supposed to be God's chosen people and wasn't their Temple supposed to be the dwelling place of the living God? What went wrong? Had God deserted them? And if so, why?

Well, there was plenty of reason for God to abandon and punish Israel. The "God of the Old Testament" would have had a good case against them. Their misplaced political alliances had gotten them defeated. From their religious perspective they would have seen their plight as a punishment for abandoning God in favor of earthly powers. But the true God is about to shine forth for them and come to their rescue. Isaiah's words are charged with excitement as he pictures the good news coming to the people in the form of a herald. These messengers would bring news from a battle back to awaiting people. A messenger could be killed for bringing bad news.

But the prophet-messenger is announcing good news: God is intervening on the people's behalf, rolling up sleeves ("the Lord has bared his arm") to help a depleted and dispirited people. Sometimes God is depicted in maternal images to underline God's tender care. But the people are enslaved and need a powerful, strong-armed intervention on their behalf and that is what Isaiah is promising. God is coming with help. Can you hear the excitement as Isaiah becomes a cheerleader for God? "Break out together in song O ruins of Jerusalem!" Isaiah is a gospel prophet announcing the good news of salvation. In their history the people have known God as their Redeemer, a God who saves from impossible situations. And that is what they were in… an impossible situation!,

We can pause here, before moving to the gospel, to reflect on what restoration and deliverance we need in our lives right now. How are we experiencing exile from the person we want to be and ought to be?

It seems in each parish where I preach I meet Catholics so scandalized by the clergy sexual abuse of minors that they have gone into a voluntary exile from the church – a church they feel is in ruins, similar to the destroyed Temple and city of Jerusalem the defeated Israelites experienced. In the mess we church people are in we can ask with the Israelites: "Where are you O God? Come to our rescue for only you can save us!" We claim the promise Isaiah makes to us: God has seen our plight, is rolling up sleeves and is coming to help.

Each of the Gospels begins with its own take on how God comes to us in the flesh of Jesus Christ. Today as we celebrate the birth of Christ we have John's insight into the significance of what God has done and is doing for us now. Wouldn't one of the Nativity stories have been more appropriate today, instead of what sounds like a dry, philosophical take on Christ's birth?

In, "Jesus: A Gospel Portrait" (New York: Paulist Press, 1992, p.27), Donald Senior, C.P., tells us that John:

"...reaches back into the vastness of the universe before creation and time began, into the very life of God, and there finds the ultimate origin of Jesus (Jn 1:1-18). The "word" spoken by God, a word that perfectly expresses God's love, arches into time and creation and takes flesh. Jesus' life and ministry began in the timeless love of God for the world.

When we want to assure someone we will be faithful to them, or that we are telling them the truth we say, "I give you my word." Which is what God has done, spoken God's Word into human flesh in Jesus Christ. God has made a promise to us humans: "I give you my Word – my Son Jesus Christ." That is the attractive and compelling truth of the Incarnation. And that is what makes today's gospel so attractive to us.

The beginning of John's Gospel is a profound statement about Jesus, which is also echoed in our reading from Hebrews which ends, "Let all the angels of God worship him." In both readings the preexistence of Christ is clearly stated; Christ was an agent of creation. The Word was there at the beginning – which might sound lofty and detached – except the pre-existing Word entered our history, lived our life, was rejected and died. The evangelist sums it up, "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…." Another translation puts it this way: the Word "pitched a tent" among us. The "tent" is a reminder of the tabernacle, God's dwelling place, as the people traveled away from Egyptian slavery. Where is our God? God is a "tent dweller," who in Jesus, travels with us through whatever wilderness we find ourselves.

Our contemplative Dominican sisters sent us a prayer for Christmas:

"May the Word of God

spoken through each of our lives

bring love and peace to the world."

Click here for a link to this Sunday's readings:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122524-Day.cfm

PRAYER OF BLESSING OF A CHRISTMAS MANGER OR NATIVITY SCENE

God of every nation and people,

from the very beginning of creation

you have made manifest your love:

when our need for a Savior was great

you sent your Son to be born of the Virgin Mary.

To our lives he brings joy and peace,

justice, mercy and love.

QUOTABLE:

Here is some good advice on the telling of the Christmas story I found in CELEBRATING THE LITURGY (Resource Publications, Inc.1995, p.93)

"No Room in What Inn?"

Be careful how you tell the Christmas story. Popular tradition, which probably developed from a medieval morality play, holds that Joseph and his very pregnant wife travel wearily from door to door in Bethlehem looking of a place to stay. After several doors slammed in their faces, a kindly old man takes pity on them and shows them a cave or a stable out somewhere in the boondocks.

There are problems with this telling. The first is that it tends to leave the listener with an image of greedy Jewish innkeepers slamming the door on the Christ. It's not a good story for interfaith relations. Besides, it is not at all biblical. The whole creche scene and its attending story derives from a single line from Luke 2:7. Some translations speak of an "inn." In small villages of this time and place, there were no inns. Travelers in normal times would have gone to the village square, sat there, and waited. Villagers were honor-bound to offer the travelers food and shelter. Hospitality was a core value in te Middle East, then as now. Leaving a traveler stranded was unthinkable. The villager who passed by the travelers without offering food and lodging would have brought shame on the entire village. Bethlehem, about five miles south of Jerusalem, would have swelled with pilgrimage during the three great festivals of the year. Probably pilgrims would have stayed in an open air camping area called a "caravansary" located near the center of town and the markets. The caravansaries had no "innkeepers." If Joseph and Mary happened upon the caravansary, they could have seen for themselves that is was full and was not, in any case, private enough for a woman about to give birth. If Bethlehem was Joseph's ancestral home, he would have been known to relatives who might have found a place for him and his wife. Where? In a less crowed time, they might have been shown to the guest room, most likely an "upper room," which might have been a lean-to on the roof. If that was crowded, perhaps they made room for them downstairs, in the courtyard where the animals stayed. It wasn't the Taj Mahal, but it wasn't Siberia either. Keep in mind that this account of Jesus' birth differs radically from the account in Matthew and that Mark and John have no account of the birth of Jesus.

For further reading see THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH, (Image Books) by Father Raymond Brown. You can still work with the nativity scene. You might even add figures representing cousins, aunts, and uncles. The shepherds might have been relatives. This helps give a more culturally realistic picture of the Holy Family as well.

Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. "Faith Book" is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.

From today's Isaiah reading

"The Lord has bared his holy arm

in the sight of all the nations,

all the ends of the earth will behold

the salvation of our God."

Reflection:

The prophet is announcing good news to the people in exile. God is intervening on their behalf, rolling up sleeves to help a depleted and dispirited people. Sometimes God is depicted in maternal images to underline God's tender care. But the people are enslaved and need a powerful, strong-armed intervention and that is what Isaiah is promising.

So we ask ourselves:

How are we experiencing exile from the person we want to be and ought to be?

Can we hear and put trust in our God who wants to do a powerful work on our behalf?

POSTCARDS TO DEATH ROW INMATES

"One has to strongly affirm that condemnation to the death penalty is an inhuman measure that humiliates personal dignity, in whatever form it is carried out." ---Pope Francis

Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each week I post in this space several inmates' names and addresses. I invite you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know we have not forgotten them. If you like, tell them you heard about them through North Carolina's, "People of Faith Against the Death Penalty." If the inmate responds you might consider becoming pen pals.

Please write to:

Edward E. Davis	#0100579	(On death row since 3/12/92)

Kenneth B. Rouse	#0353186	(3/25/92)

Michael Reeves	#0339314	(5/14/92)

----Central Prison 4285 Mail Service Center, Raleigh 27699-4285

For more information on the Catholic position on the death penalty go to the Catholic Mobilizing Network: http://catholicsmobilizing.org/resources/cacp/

On this page you can sign "The National Catholic Pledge to End the Death Penalty." Also, check the interfaith page for People of Faith Against the Death Penalty: http://www.pfadp.org/

DONATIONS

"First Impressions" is a service to preachers and those wishing to prepare for Sunday worship. It is sponsored by the Dominican Friars. If you would like "First Impressions" sent weekly to a friend, send a note to fr. John Boll, OP at jboll@opsouth.org.

If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to fr. Jude Siciliano, O.P.

St. Albert Priory 3150 Vince Hagan Drive Irving, Texas 75062-4736

Make checks payable to: Dominican Friars. Or, go to our webpage to make an online donation: http://www.PreacherExchanhe.com/donations.htm

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. We have compiled Four CDS for sale:

Individual CDs for each Liturgical Year, A, B or C

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If you are a preacher, lead a Lectionary-based scripture group, or are a member of a liturgical team, these CDs will be helpful in your preparation process. Individual worshipers report they also use these reflections as they prepare for Sunday liturgy.

You can order the CDs by going to our webpage: www.PreacherExchange.com and clicking on the "First Impressions" CD link on the left.

2. "Homilias Domincales" —These Spanish reflections on the Sunday and daily scriptures are written by Dominican sisters and friars. If you or a friend would like to receive these reflections drop a note to fr. John Boll, O.P. at Jboll@opsouth.org.

3. Our webpage: www.PreacherExchange.org - Where you will find "Preachers' Exchange," which includes "First Impressions" and "Homilias Dominicales," as well as articles, book reviews, daily homilies and other material pertinent to preaching.

4. "First Impressions" is a service to preachers and those wishing to prepare for Sunday worship. It is sponsored by the Dominican Friars. If you would like "First Impressions" sent weekly to a friend, send a note to fr. John Boll, OP at the above email address.