Christmas Eve is a splendid time to share with people. There will be presents passed and eggnog shared. There will be hymns sung and food eaten. There will be babies born and joyous parents and grandparents shouting from the rooftops that a new child has been added to their family. I long for Christmas time each day of the year for Christmas brings hope and joy and peace and happiness to my heart.
As I reflected on the Christmas story told in Luke’s gospel, many things meandered through my mind. A census to find out how many people lived in the country. A census demanded by the then thought of savior of the world, Emperor Augustus. It was during his reign that true peace came to the Roman Empire. His leadership brought prosperity and happiness. During his reign, people's wealth began to burgeon. “Praise be to Caesar Augustus! He has brought new life to the world” would be on the lips of the people, but not on the lips of the oppressed whose hands did most of the work. For on them there was nothing but despair. On them, there was nothing but hard work and an early death. Caesar Augustus was nothing more than a tyrant who made them travel to a distant land to be registered. But “to you is born this day in the City of David a savior, who is the messiah, the Lord” is the message. Not Augustus. Not a political dynasty. Not a governor or a warrior or . . .you get the meaning. A savior born today for you. A savior is born, born a descendant of David the great king with earmarks of his great story. David, you know the one. He is the one taken out of the sheepfold to be the king, but now a king is born in the sheepfold who is more than a king, he is Messiah, Christ, the anointed one of God. David who brought the nation together will have another who will bring the cosmos together. There is another who will bring the divine and the creation together at last. He is born for you.
Like the shepherds, I am afraid. I am afraid of many things. The world is full of terrible disasters. Wars and rumors of wars. Hamas and Fatah fight for control of Palestine. In the region of Darfur, genocide. In my own country, Republicans and Democrats fight over control of the government and the distribution of power. I am afraid. Fear immobilizes me at times. How can I feed my family on my meager earnings while trying to keep the bill mongers off my steps? How can I build a nest egg for retirement when costs of living are skyrocketing out of sight? How can I take care of my sick child with no health insurance? These fears right true, but for me, a savior is born today.
What does it mean for me today in 21st century North Dakota that a savior, the Messiah, is born today? What difference can this make for me today? I am an alcoholic. I drank myself into a stupor for years. One beer led to 15 beers a day, and one day led to everyday and I am afraid that I might slip into another drunken haze, but not today. Because for me, today a savior is born who has resurrected me into sobriety. Today, a Messiah who is king has given me grace enough for this day to say no to a demon that tormented me for many days trying to tell me that alcohol was king.
In 21st century North Dakota, it means that my good friend can plant a crop and know that something will come up and a harvest will be had in the fall. Maybe not the biggest, but enough to put food on the table for another year. For him is born this day a savior who gives him courage to plant each year with faith to know that God will provide. Or for my wife who teaches, she can know that each year more young people will come and learn how to write. Or for my mother who decorates cakes, she will know that someone will have another birthday where her cakes will make them smile. Or for my father who saves lives on the ambulance. He will know that his skills, God given skills, will be used by God to help people in distress.
For us, today, where ever we are, who ever we are, a savior is born to give us hope. Hope enough for today. Enough to see us through these days of wars and rumors of wars, and enough hope to see us through until the end of time. For us, a babe wrapped in bands of cloth will give us enough hope to get up out of bed each day and do our best to make his world a better place. To that I can say, thanks be to God.
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