Christmas Day
December 25, 2014
10 AM Liturgy
J.A. Loftus, S.J.
Christmas really is two celebrations. One is a celebration
that has a very soft, gentle, pastel side. It’s the side most of us
remember from our own childhoods. We celebrated that side of
Christmas last evening in this very space. The children of the
parish re-created for us that gentle and beautiful scene. There
were Joseph and Mary, shepherds and wise persons (yes, we are
gender neutral here at St. Ignatius), there were little sheep, and a
miraculous star, and angels galore. It was the lovely side of the
Christmas celebration.
And then there is the other celebration of Christmas, the
slightly harsher, mind-boggling, largely incomprehensible event
that we remember this morning. This is more like “An Adult Christ
at Christmas,” as Fr. Raymond Brown calls one of his little Nativity
books.
Today’s Gospel proclamation (in contrast to last evening’s) is
not for the faint-hearted, nor is it painted in soft pastel colors. It is
about darkness and light. It is a stark, black and white canvas.
1
We adults know that darkness is still all around us in our
world (think Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ferguson, the streets of New
York City). And, sadly, darkness still creeps even into our own
hearts. But we hear again today that Light crashes into human
history, and that it is a Light that no darkness can ever overcome.
As St. Augustine puts it: how ironic—a speechless baby is in reality
the Word of God.
The letter to the Hebrews (using some pretty fancy language)
calls today the celebration of “the refulgence of God’s own glory,
the very imprint of God’s being.” And that brilliant light, a light
more spectacular than any of NASA’s Hubble telescope shots is
here! It is right here and right now!
But it all begins to sound so abstract, doesn’t it? I can even
see some yawns out there. So let’s try to get into a more
comfortable frame of reference (for most of us anyway): popular
culture. Popular culture, we are usually told at this time of year,
reflects the so-called “terrible secularization” of our world. But
popular culture gets it right as often as it gets it wrong.
Two fifty year-old TV classics have already aired
innumerable times in recent weeks. “A Charlie Brown’s Christmas”
2
nails the gentler side for children of all ages. Who can resist Linus
dimming the lights to read Luke’s gospel account? But “Rudolf”
gets the adult side pretty clearly as well. A red-nosed reindeer and
a would-be dentist sing together, “Why am I such a misfit, I am not
just a nit-wit…. Why can’t I fit in?” That’s adult stuff!
The adult Christmas we celebrate knows there are no misfits
in God’s creation. There cannot be any misfits. The Light that we
celebrate is deliberate, forceful, unerring, and more powerful than
any darkness can grasp—even the darkness of our indifference
and prejudice. All creation is bathed in that Light from the
beginning. And there’s even more from popular culture.
A new movie adaptation of Steven Sondheim’s classic musical
“Into the Woods” opens today. Obviously I have not seen it yet. But
if it is at all true to that remarkable play, two more songs will sing
about the adult Christmas as well.
Jack-in-the-beanstalk begins singing as he starts to clime:
“There are big, tall, terrible giants in the sky.” Jack knows and
admits there is darkness all around us. And it is scary out there—
and sometimes even in here. That’s Christmas reality too! That’s
the only adult conclusion.
3
But a second song near the end brings the whole cast
together to sing: “No one is alone.” Really, No one is alone! That
too is the adult meaning of this day. The light we celebrate will not
be extinguished by darkness either within or without. And we are
not alone—none of us, ever. We are all the children of a God who
chooses to live with us and within each of us. That, perhaps, is the
real meaning of the Incarnation this day.
Bask in the Light today (the bright lights in the heavens, the
twinkle-lights on trees, as well as the soft glow of a candle) and
enjoy both Christmases! Merry Christmas! Peace!
4