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STAR OF HOPE, LIGHT OF PEACE

A strange and wonderful light shone over Bethlehem on the first Christmas. It was eerie, because so unusual, and yet alluring at the same time. Inviting yet foreboding. The star attracted shepherds and wise men, but intimidated a king. These polar opposites seem always to be manifest in any profound religious experience. Classic conversion stories are constituted by such extremes. That beacon of light over the stable heralded something entirely new in our world. Would it be a presence to be feared, or a gift that exhilarates? Jesus reveals a God who is both. In the Christ child we know the human warmth of a personal God and are in awe of the majestic power of our Creator. We are invited to unwrap that same gift this Christmas.

Jesus, the gift to which we are guided by the star, is the Light of the World. Will the illumination He brings be an intrusive spotlight on the darker corners of our lives? Or will His light be more like the warming glow of a welcoming hearth in which we can relax and know contentment? That, of course, depends largely on how we are choosing to use our freedom, another of God’s marvelous gifts. Will the child find us to be self-centered or other-oriented? Christmas is a time to enlarge our notion of family, to look for the good in others, to give, and to appreciate blessings. May we resolve to live the spirit of Christmas all the year through (as Mr. Scrooge promised).

The transcendent, all-powerful God has chosen how He wants to be present among us. He sent His Son to be born, not in a palace in Jerusalem, but in a stable in an outback little town. He sent a vulnerable and helpless child. Who is not drawn to a new-born baby? Whose heart is not softened by the wonder of a little bundle of new life? Infants tend to bring out the best in human beings. In the presence of children we are encouraged to look to the future with optimism, purpose, and dedication. Jesus brings that same opportunity. This is God’s design. How appropriate that we find Him still under a Star of Hope, a Light of Peace.

Merry Christmas! May God bless us all with the deep joy that only Jesus can bring. May His light shine over our parish throughout the coming year.

Fr. Mike
Christmas 2007