Today at sunset the Jewish community begins Hanukkah. The word means “dedication”: the rededication of the Jerusalem temple in the second century before Jesus after the Jews won their independence from Syria. A symbol of Hanukkah is the menorah, signifying divine light.
The downtown waterfront also features a nativity scene. Symbols can invite us to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Let’s take five easily recognizable signs of Christmas.
A TREE: green symbolizes hope. Always trust in God’s unconditional love. And the tree points heavenward: that’s our purpose in life.
AN ANGEL: an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. Angels sang the glorious news of the Savior’s birth. Let's look for the good in ourselves and everywhere.
A STAR signifies the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Messiah; let's keep our promises and build relationships as men and women of integrity.
A CANDLE symbolizes Jesus Christ, the light of the world. As we meet daily challenges, we might ask ourselves: What would Jesus do?
And SANTA: symbolizing good will. Be generous.
Yes, these symbols and more invite us to reflect on Christmas, the Christ-child, Emmanuel, God-with-us.
In today's word of God, the Hebrew King Ahaz has a quandary: should he join an anti-Assyrian alliance? Or trust in God’s providence for his people?
Isaiah begs him to “ask for a sign from God.” The king refuses. So, Isaiah prophesizes that God will provide a sign. A young woman will bear a child, Emmanuel meaning “God-with-us.”
God never reneges on His promises; David's house will indeed bring forth a Messiah, a savior. Early Christians saw the prophecy fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, whose name means “he will save.” Jesus is indeed our way, our truth and our light.
St. Paul, in his letter to the Christian community at Rome, introduces himself as an apostle called to deliver a message from God: the Gospel, the Good News that Jesus Christ is gloriously alive, and because He lives, we live forever.
The community, Paul emphasizes, is beloved by God and called to be holy, consecrated -- set apart from secular materialism -- to continue the ministry of Jesus. That seems like a weighty calling for us. But, with Jesus as the source of our spiritual life, we can accomplish much today.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Mary is pregnant with a child by the power of the Spirit. Joseph faces a dilemma: it's not Joseph's child, so it’s logical for him to conclude Mary must have committed adultery, punishable by death according to Jewish custom.
Then, Joseph has a dream, an overpowering experience of the Divine, that convinces him to take Mary as his wife.
Joseph and Mary both have extraordinary trust in God’s love for them.
Mary was asked to bear within herself a special child. Because Mary was so attuned to God’s presence, she replied with faith: may it be done to me as you say.
Yes, the Beatles sang: “Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, ‘Let it be.’”
These words are not so easy when what is happening is difficult. Such turns in life can test our trust in God's unconditional love for us.
But Mary’s “Yes” gave us the greatest love story in the history of civilization.
That story tells of a baby, of a mother swaddling her newborn child as her husband stays near. It tells of angels singing, and shepherds running over the hillside to tell the child how much they love him. Yes, it tells of a star guiding visitors across the wilderness and onto their knees to worship the Child Jesus.
St. John the Evangelist summed up this love story in a single line: “the Word became flesh.” Yes: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Through him all things came to be…He was the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
Christmas means not simply God in Bethlehem centuries ago, but God within us today. By virtue of baptism. Wherever we gather in his name, God is Here, there and everywhere (a Beatles song).
St. Paul summed up that we are by grace what Jesus is by nature: sons and daughters of God our Father. That is God’s gift to us. We are like God and one day we shall see God as God is.
Until Jesus comes again in great glory at the end-time, we are called to be missionary disciples bringing the good news to others,
doing all the good we can, to all the people we can:
helping those who doubt to find faith;
those who despair to find hope;
those who are sad or angry to find joy;
those who are sick to find health;
those who are weary to courageously live the Gospel;
and those who are dying to find peace in God forever.
