Christmas Day
December 25
4 PM & 10 AM Liturgies
J.A. Loftus, S.J.
Every Christmas eve, at midnight, in churches throughout the
world, the official proclamation of Christ’s birth is sung or said. It
is taken from the old Roman Martyrology, the official listing of all
the saints of the Roman rite. It dates the birth of Jesus quite
cleverly using the signposts of both Jewish history and Roman and
Greek political realities.
In the older translation, the proclamation concludes with
these words: “In the stillness of the night, while all the earth was at
peace, the Eternal Word leapt down from heaven. And the Word
became flesh.”
My friends, this is what one of my old professors, Fr. Ray
Brown, meant by suggesting that we need to celebrate “an adult
Christ at Christmas.” It’s not just about a little baby lying in
swaddling clothes, at least not for adults.
But, you say, “the eternal Word leapt down,” does anyone
know exactly what that means? No. But as another marvelous
student of the bible, Walter Bruggeman, once said of the Christmas
gospels: “our job is not to understand the events, but to be dazzled
by them.”
Do you remember Richard Gere in the film version of the
play, Chicago? He was singing his signature song? “Give them that
old razzle-dazzle, razzle-dazzle them….” That’s more like what God
does for us today. God razzle-dazzles creation, all creation. And
the event even has a name: Emmanuel. God is with us.
We may not understand exactly how God is with us all the
time. But there are hints of God’s incarnation all around us,
especially this time of the year. In the melody of a Handel aria, in
the glow of a candle-lit Menorah, in the chime of a Salvation Army
bell, in a softly falling snow highlighting the fir trees. In the sun,
the moon, and the stars! We just have to look for the hints!
We can even find the hints in unlikely places, such as a
bizarre birthday party breakfast for a Pope that was celebrated
last week, with song and cake, several homeless men from the
streets of Rome, and a dog named Marley. Surprise! God is with us.
The hints of God’s presence abound in caring, loving,
generous men and women throughout the world who simply care
for one another and reach out in tenderness and love and peace.
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My brothers and sisters, the hints of the Incarnation are
found in every hug, in every kiss, in every smile, and in every tear
shed in love. Emmanuel. God is with us. God is still with us! And
God always will be!
“In the stillness of the night, when all the world was at
peace….” In stillness and with peace in our hearts, may we know
that voice that sings again today: “I am your God.” Emmanuel.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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