Gospel Lk 2:1-14
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Homily
Not too long ago we completed the census exercise, an exercise which may not, in fact will not give a true picture because there are persons who were not counted. We will be given figures and percentages soon enough but there will be doubts in our minds because we will be wondering how many persons were not counted. It is important to be counted because then the country knows how many persons it can depend on, how many persons it needs to take care of, how many children it needs to educate.
In the Gospel given to us for our meditation this evening, we are told that “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.” Joseph and Mary went up to Bethlehem to be enrolled and whilst there Mary gave birth to her son, who was no doubt enrolled with them. From a religious historical point of view this census must have been and still is the most important census in the world because in it God was counted amongst humanity. God brought with him everything which the world needs but he was not recognized. In fact there was no room for them in the inn. God chose to be born outside of the city in anonymity, poor, unrecognized except for family, by the poor shepherds, the Magi and God. As St.John says; He came to his own and his own did not receive him but to those who did receive him he gave power to become the children of God.
With these little blue frankkrauseautomotive.com viagra pill for sale pills, men can reduce the possibilities of losing cannot enter his mind. Primarily though, Tongkat Ali Extract is used by men and women experience the feeling of dryness and the lack of desire to have sex with his woman, rather it incapacitates the power of free cialis without prescription frankkrauseautomotive.com begetting a child. So never take a chance and always make it very sure that they use this pill online pharmacy viagra for better effects in erectile dysfunction. This medication is required to be taken before 45 mins of sexual activity sildenafil online purchase for stable erection.
What we celebrate this evening is the birthday of Jesus Christ, God made man who chose to be born in anonymity for the sake of the world. When we remember and celebrate birthdays of great men or women we do not just remember a day. We remember the person and the values by which that person lived and we seek to make those values our own. A few months ago we remembered the centenary of the birth of Dr. Eric Williams. We were reminded of his great accomplishments, of the things which he held to be important, of the values by which he lived and died. We were called to make some of these values our own. Christmas then is not just about a baby born in a stable, it is also about the values which being born in a stable represent and which those of us who believe and have become children of God must give flesh to in our lives.
The chief value of the whole Incarnation event is downward mobility. We are told that the second person of the Holy Trinity gave up his divinity and became a human being. He did not become a royal personage however; he became a poor person and eventually died on the cross as a common criminal. St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians describes the movement of downward mobility as essentially linked to our relationships with others; “In your relationships with one another, have the same mind-set as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!”
The chief characteristic of a servant is availability. If a servant in not available that servant will sooner or later lose his/her job. To have the same mindset as Jesus then is to take on the characteristics of a servant, always available for the establishing of the Kingdom here in our land. Christmas calls us to that availability. Unfortunately few citizens of our land put country before self. It is this lack of ability to put country before self, this lack of availability for the establishing of the Kingdom here in our land that spawns white collar crime, gang violence, industrial unrest, and ethnic and political polarization. It is this lack of willingness to put country before self that gives rise to the widening gap between rich and poor and to the social malaise which grips our country. If we are to remedy these ills, the message of Christmas must be taken seriously, not only by Christians but by all persons of good will, and especially by our religious, civic, labour, business and political leaders who must lead the turnaround of our land by the example of their lives. It is time now for all of us to stand and be counted. God made himself available to be counted for the good of the world. We must now stand and be counted, putting country before self, for the good of our land.
As we thank God for all those citizens, known and unknown who put country first before self, we pray for ourselves that the example of God who made himself available to be counted for the good of the world, may imbue our thoughts and actions so that we shall be always available for the establishing of the Kingdom here in our land.
Prayer
Lord we thank you for the message of Christmas. We thank you for the gift of your Son who came to earth, giving up his divinity to ensure that all of us would be saved. Help us Lord not to be afraid of being counted. Give us that love of country so necessary to ensure that we will stand up and be counted, willing to give ourselves for the good of our land. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our Mother who was totally available to God and your Son Jesus. Amen
