TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2024 | CHRISTMAS - Christmas Eve (ABC)

Text notes:

Isaiah: Prince of Peace! However, also expectations to be actually royalty on the throne.

Titus:

Salvation to all!

Luke:

Re-telling by AI as if it were in present times on the East Coast

During the holiday season, the US government announced a nationwide census. Everyone had to return to their ancestral county to register. Joseph, who lived in suburban New Jersey with his wife Mary, was originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, so they had to make the long drive.

Mary was heavily pregnant, and the journey was uncomfortable. When they arrived in Bethlehem, all the hotels were booked due to the influx of people for the census. They finally found a room in a small, family-run motel.

That night, Mary went into labor and gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in a soft blanket and laid him in a makeshift crib, a repurposed dresser drawer, as there was no proper cot.

Nearby, in the farmlands outside Bethlehem, some dairy farmers were guarding their cows at night. Suddenly, an angel appeared before them, and the night sky lit up with an intense glow. The farmers were terrified, but the angel reassured them.

"Don't be afraid," the angel said. "I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in Bethlehem, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly, a large choir of angels appeared, praising God and singing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

When the angels disappeared, the farmers said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

Good evening,

Jesus Christ is born, hallelujah!

Let us reframe the story. While the familiar can be comforting, it can also cause us to stop paying attention. Let us consider the Christmas story in Luke in modern times on the East Coast.

Joseph and Mary live in suburban New Jersey and Joseph is originally from Bethlehem, PENNSYLVANIA, so they make the drive for the census. All hotels were booked, so they found a room at a small family-run motel. After Jesus was born, Mary wrapped him in a soft blanket and laid him in a makeshift crib, a repurposed dresser drawer, as there was no proper cot. Meanwhile, the angel talked to dairy farmers in the nearby farmlands, who then decided to come to the motel and see for themselves the savior.

Chances are, they would have lived in a split level house and shop at Lidl. Where they would be on the pork roll vs Taylors Ham, I cannot say and considering they were Jewish, let us not theorize. However, perhaps they would not even have a car and that would be probably much closer to the labor inducing and lengthy donkey ride - according to Google Maps, the public transit option would be about 3.5 hours at best and involve a bus, then a train, then a Greyhound, and then two more buses in quick succession. It is hard to be poor in any age, despite our current advancements and wealth!

The point is that all gospel writers tried to write the account of the birth of Jesus easily understandable, relatable, and yet connecting all the important dots. A story that can be retold and re-read by ordinary people, perhaps by the fire in the comfort of their homes that were the first congregations. All the processions, manger displays, carols, trees and rituals would come later, some much much later. Nothing wrong with them, but let us not forget the center of the celebration - the story.

The times were ordinary - the Roman occupation was nothing new and as many surviving documents can attest, Romans were quite the bureaucrats. The promises of a Messiah, as well as their supporters, were plentiful and well-established. And some things do not change - traveling is hard on the pregnant then and always, especially in later stages.

So much was ordinary, so that the birth of Jesus can truly shine - he was born in a way that many had been born before him and would be born after him. An ordinary birth of an extraordinary and unique person, Jesus, a man and God, a baby and yet a promised Savior. Through Him, many will come to believe in God’s saving grace and unconditional love. And he is the reason we are here right now, not gifts, baked hams, potatoes, pies, trees, or manger dioramas . His very birth, even before he began his ministry and then died and was resurrected, changed everything.

If celebrating Christmas does not come easy for you, I think I understand a little bit. Growing up, I have developed a sort of a disdain for the Christmas Eve and beyond - I liked the food (once we stopped having carp and fish soup) and the gifts were mostly nice, but the whole atmosphere was heavy with noisy Christ infantilizing music, superstition, and family expectations. The actual celebration of the birth of Jesus was secondary and it didn't pl ay much of a role - it was a secularized holiday after all. Becoming Christian and then experiencing my family's celebration made it worse for a bit, but it gave me language to understand what it was missing and why the rest seemed arbitrary.

We are habitual creatures and thus we relish in having repeating calendars and events - no need to change that. However, we need to hold onto tightly what the repetition revolves around - Jesus Christ; his birth, his life and ministry, his death and resurrection, his ascension back to his righteous place on the right hand of God the Father, his continued influence, and ultimately his coming back in glory to inaugurate the full realization of Kingdom of God.

Today, we are at the birth part and let us celebrate that. The promised savior has come, not as a general of an army, a rebel leader, or a politician of any kind, but as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace who will bring endless peace and uphold the Kingdom of God with justice and righteousness. Thanks be to God for that. Amen.