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Our savior keeps it simple

Funeral, Sacrament-based, Holy Day, Holiday, Special Occasion - Sample homilies to be adapted for your use

Holy days/feasts: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas): Mass at Dawn Readings: Isaiah 62:11-12; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20 TODAY WE CELEBRATE the birth of Christ. But just what is it we are celebrating—or rather who are we celebrating? The angel in the Gospel of Luke says to the shepherds, “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 Messiah and Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). So, is it a savior we are celebrating? A savior from what? Just what is keeping us imprisoned or encumbered? Hmm . . . Here’s a quick list: Resentments, betrayals, money worries, pressures to perform, illness and addiction, broken relationships, loss of loved ones, lack of direction or purpose, feelings of being underappreciated or misrepresented, lack of connection and compassion. Indeed, there is much in terms of hopes and fears for a savior to fix. So how does our savior go about the task of saving? How would you go about it? Give people money, cure their illness, mend their broken relationships? It seems that our savior provides us with one simple solution: love. That’s it. Christ becomes the embodiment of love. Literally, the God who is Love becomes human and shows us how to love—ourselves, our neighbors, our enemies, and our God. That means not only seeing God in our families and friends, but in the people we like least. In a time of such division, that seems nearly impossible. But that is the saving message of Christmas, when we realize that Emmanuel, “God with us,” has come to show us how to live in love and with love. Literally, the God who is Love becomes human and shows us how to love—ourselves, our neighbors, our enemies, and our God. That means not only seeing God in our families and friends, but in the people we like least. Recently a priest who does prison ministry through the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation told a story about several mothers who lost children to violence. They asked the priest whether the young men jailed for homicides felt any remorse. “Yes, of course,” the priest replied. “Would you like to meet with them?” At first the women said no but then agreed to attend Sunday Mass at the prison. After Mass, the mothers and the jailed men, most of whom would be in prison for decades, gathered in a circle and shared their stories. With arms crossed, the women listened, but as soon as they saw the fear and confusion on the young men’s faces, they became more receptive. These young men, who no doubt made some terrible choices in their short lives, had their own back stories filled with pain, hurt, and neglect. Though the heartache of the families and the regret of the prisoners would never completely subside, together, they began to find a way toward reconciliation, toward freedom, toward love. This loving response to the suffering of the world is the saving grace Christ brings to us today. As Saint Paul tells us in today’s second reading, “The kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy.” We are all flawed, we are all in need of a savior, and the good news of this day is that we have one—in God who is Love. The more we love, the freer we are to be the person God expects us to be. So, whether you gather with family and friends or spend a quiet holiday alone this year, instead of dwelling on the “why” of all the hurts and anguish in life, take a moment to consider the “how” of your response. How can a response filled with love help transform your experiences of pain and disappointment, grief and sorrow? How can it reshape even the more trivial irritations that rise up during the holidays—the presents or praise you didn’t get, the decorations that are a little too garish, the music that is too corny, the meat that is too dry, the stuffing that is too wet, the conversations that are too heated? Take a moment to see the presence of love in all these big and little failings of our broken world. Once you see the love, like the shepherds in today’s gospel, may you be amazed. May you realize that a great burden has been lifted and you’ve been saved from dwelling in darkness—alone, angry, and afraid. May you see the wonder all around! The love, the mercy, the peace that Jesus brings to you and all of us this day and every day. And like all the disciples before you, may you feel compelled to spread the Good News to others—friend and foe alike. Keep your message simple: “I love you.” Enough said.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

holy day/feast Christmas mass at dawn Isaiah 62:11-1 Titus 3:4-7 Luke 2:15-20

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Word of the Week

24 November 2024

Solemnity

\sə-'lem-nə-tē\

From Latin sollemnis for “fixed ceremonial,” highest-ranking day of the church calendar that celebrates a mystery of faith such as the Trinity, an event in the life of Jesus, Mary, the Mother of God, or another important saint. Solemnities override every other feast or memorial, including Sundays in Ordinary Time. The church assigns Sundays and solemnities three readings—from a prophet, apostle, and gospel—to instruct the faithful in the work of salvation.

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