Christmas Gift of Love

07Jan
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’ 
-Matthew 2:13-15 


Sometimes I just find it hard to understand what God is doing. Ten days ago we celebrated Christmas. Yesterday we remembered the Wisemen coming to do homage. Today I recall the conclusion of the wise one’s story. After they left, God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream telling him to get out of town with Mary and his Holy Baby because Herod wanted to kill the Child. (Three days after Christmas we had read about the slaughter of the innocent children as Herod tried to kill the foretold, promised, new - King of the Jews. Matthew 2:16-18)


Joseph, Mary, and Jesus left in the middle of the night. No Google search. No GPS. No American Express. No Air B & B. How did they know the best route to Egypt or where to stay? Did the angel direct them? That same angel who asked Mary to help God bring Love into the world? That same angel who called the shepherds? That same angel who joined the chorus singing Gloria! at the manger? Maybe the Magi’s star led them. In Egypt they remained until that same heavenly messenger told Joseph that it was safe and to return to Nazareth.  


Sometimes I just find it difficult to understand what God is doing.

           

Into a world of cruelty, hatred, and fear God sent helpless love and innocence. God inserted Himself. To bring the message of forgiveness, love, and goodwill to all – to good and to bad alike. Jesus came into this world of sin to empower those of us who receive that love to do for others as Jesus does for us. Indeed, He expects us who bear His name to give that Christmas gift of love those who don’t deserve it, just as we do to those whom we deem worthy.


I still don’t understand it, but I think that is God’s Christmas gift to us: the gift of love and forgiveness that we are to live and give away – every day of our lives - to those who fear and hate as well as to those who love their neighbor. If that’s so, then we can celebrate Christmas is every day of the year!


I love to collect figurines that help tell the Christmas story. Many years ago I visited my Mother in Taos, New Mexico and found an endearing set of three figures: Mary and Jesus, Joseph, and a donkey. Part of what attracted them to me was their innocence and simple depiction as native Americans. As I started to put them with my other nativity pieces, I looked at the bottom of Joseph’s figure and noticed that the set was titled “The Flight Into Egypt”. These figures portray the continuation of the Birth narrative: that God was telling the Holy Family to set out in faith and to trustingly bringing that Love to where it was needed. No Google search. No GPS. No American Express. No Air B & B.  


The rest of the story is how Jesus continued to do just that. And empowers us to do the same.


Over the years my lovely figurines of the Flight into Egypt have had some bumps and bruises. The donkey lost an ear; and his head got knocked off then glued back on; Joseph’s staff was broken. Yet: in all that is lost or broken in this world, God continues to tell his story: that His love reigns, God will make all things new, and that Christmas is every day of the year.


Musical Reflection - We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Kingston Trio


Dear Jesus, you were born into this lost and broken world to love us into loving others as you first love us. Thank you for your Christmas gifts of love, and forgiveness. Savior of the world, we pray that friendship and love of neighbors may abound, with Peace and Good Will the whole year around. Then, in our words and deeds, may we daily wish each other a Merry Christmas. Amen.

LoveUnderstandingChristmas

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