Christmas (A)

Is 52:7-10
Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6
Heb 1:1-6
Jn 1:1-18 or Jn 1:1-5, 9-14

Hello, I’m Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, with the "Sunday Soundbite" for the Feast of Christmas. I want to tell you a true story that happened on a Christmas Eve many years ago.

One of my Franciscan confreres, Brother Tim, enjoys celebrating this season so much that we've dubbed him "Father Christmas." Tim credits his love of Christmas to his father. One Christmas Eve in the 1960s when Tim was a youngster, his dad piled all the kids into the car to get them out of the house so Mom could make final holiday preparations. As they drove past Sears, Tim's father suggested a walk through the toy department, to enjoy the sights and sounds.

One display attracted everyone's attention—a huge auto racing set.

As the kids oohed and aahed over it, Tim's dad suddenly said, "You like it? Let's take it home!" And to the utter amazement of the children, he bought the set, squeezed it and the kids back into the car, and they all drove home. Even today, as Tim recalls his father's extravagant gesture, tears come to his eyes.

The extravagance of Tim's father reminds me of God's extravagance in giving us Jesus.Our own Christmas giving is meant to symbolize God's generosity to us. As we give our gifts—large or small—let's be grateful that the Father gave us the greatest gift of all.

Scripture:

•Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; (Sirach 3:6)

•For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, (Psalm 128:2)

•Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, (Colossians 3:16)

•Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, (Matthew 2:13)

•Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, (Matthew 2:20)

Reflection:

•What is the most important aspect of your life? If it was all you had to sustain you, would it be enough to survive?

•If you were to take a spiritual journey, what (who) would you bring?

•In Matthew, are Egypt and Israel metaphors for a spiritual journey?

•Is Egypt the journey to nowhere or nothingness and Israel the journey back to God?

•Are these normal stopping points on the spiritual journey?

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.