(How are you doing so far? Crabby yet? Merry? Well let's continue with....)
Father Ralph's Christmas Homily ---The Second Part
I really do believe it matters whether
we think we're like the shepherds or like the disciples.
Let me tell you some of the qualities of the shepherds first.
When we pay close
attention to the Christmas story, we notice that shepherds are the kind
of folks who show up on Christmas night. Once. Then we never hear from
them again.
No stories of their return to offer Mary an extra swaddling or two for
the baby. No promise to return with lamb sandwiches for Joseph. They come
one night.
Now I'm not putting them down. Remember, I'm the one with the e-mail: shepherd@saintbrigid.net
They don't come back because they're devoted
to the sheep. That's the focus of their life.
And there are benefits too: wool and lamb chops -- that is, warmth and
food. Not bad benefits. But it's not an easy way to stay warm and fed.
They sleep outside in the cold of the night -- with the sheep. They walk
for miles by day in the hot Middle Eastern sun looking for grazing land
-- with the sheep. And soon they think like sheep and smell like sheep.
What a life, when you become your work!
Disciples
are different from shepherds. Jesus calls them to follow him and
they do. Not one night, but they turn the direction of their life, the
plan of each day over to where he want to lead them. Their jobs are still
important, but they don't make theirWORK their focus. Jesus is the focus
of the disciples.
Let me tell you about three places that Jesus leads the disciples -- there are more, but for tonight, these three will have to do.
I. The synagogue and temple
II. The desert
III. The towns
I. The synagogue and temple
Now I would think that the last place Jesus felt he had to show up at was the synagogue and the temple. After all, he's God. If you go to those religious places to pray to God, why did he want to go there all the time? [What did he pray, "Dear me"?] But I came to an insight the other day: Our God has a deep need to meet his people of faith and be with them together as one. That's why he goes to church. He wants to be with them -- just like tonight he is so happy to be with everyone here.
And don't you feel Jesus' blessing tonight, being here together in church? Ok, those of you who are standing in the aisles probably aren't feeling VERY blessed at this moment....but really...aren't you experiencing a certain kind of peace and strength just from being here?
So Jesus wants his disciples to accompany him to the place of worship. And they had great excuses not to go --"I was with Jesus all week...why do I have to go to church?" "Jesus was in my house having dinner with me ...he came out on my boat....in fact Jesus was everywhere I was, so why do I have to see him in church?" But they went...to be with Jesus and the rest of the believing community.
II. The desert
People were going to Jesus for all sorts of things -- healing, teaching, forgiving, feeding, etc. And after a while he had to get away from it all. So he went to the desert. Don't you find yourself in the same situation -- everyone is always after you? It's exhausting. And we have cell phones and e-mails and all sorts of technology that can now follow us. When was the last time you were good to yourself and just got away -- to rest, to reflect, to spend time with Jesus? You deserve it!
I'll give some quick options here... go on a retreat...a Cursillo weekend, a Marriage Encounter, Retrouvaille, look at the offerings from some of the retreat centers on Long Island; come to the one of the many spiritually enriching experiences at St. Brigid's. Or even come to visit the church when it's quiet -- we're open every day from 7am to around 9:30pm. Sometimes there are things to see that can inspire us -- like now our Presepio is up --but even when "nothing" is going on, come and sit before Jesus here in the tabernacle and, as a disciple, listen to him. And what will you hear him say? You'll hear him tell you how much he loves you. Do you know how much you are loved by our Lord?
And you can bring your children for a visit too.
III. The towns
Jesus and his disciples did their major work in the towns and villages. There's where he ate with families, healed sick people, forgave sinners, brought new life. And that's where we're headed after tonight too. Our "towns" are where we work, or our schools, our famliies, our neighborhoods. And how are we to be disciples there?
Let me tell you one quick experience.
I have a friend who has worked as a secretary in a public school for the past 40 years. She told me that when she started, she could count on one hand the number of rude and angry people she encountered. But now, the world is different. She says she can count on one hand the people who are nice and polite. The majority of people come in and scream at her, even curse at her when demanding things.
And don't YOU find that people are nastier to you-- whether on the phone, or the road or at work? I think Jesus must be sad to see the number of people who choose crabbiness as a way of life. After all, even the people with the hardest luck didn't treat him that way -- could you imagine the blind man screaming at him saying, "Well it's about time you showed up. Who do I have to talk to to get some sight around here? What kind of a savior are you to let me be blind for so long? This is pathetic!!!" I couldn't imagine that really happening back then. But now people treat you -- the brothers and sisters of Jesus in that way.
How many people will you have to face who are choosing to have an "angry new year?"
Which brings me back to the starting point.
Do we want to be about a Merry Christmas or a crabby Christmas? A blessed
New Year or an angry New Year? We can be more than shepherds if we choose
in our hearts tonight to be disciples of Jesus. We won't be warmed by
wool -- we'll be warmed by Jesus' love. We won't be eating mutton. But
we will feast on the Lamb of God, who takes away our sins. We are what
we eat. When we accept Jesus' call to be disciples we discover a fulfillment,
a peace, a joy, a power to give up the anger.
Now
it's time for me to stop talking and to give everyone some time to make
this Christmas choice: am I to be a shepherd or a disciple? Am I to choose
a crabby Christmas or a Merry Christmas.
I wish you a Merry Christmas!
Dear Internet Friends...though Christmas may have already come and gone,
Jesus has not gone. He is coming to you right now. Why not take a moment
in prayer to accept Jesus' call to be his disciple?
And if I can help in any way, let me know.
Oh and please don't forget about the Census if you are a St. Brigid parishioner.
--Father Ralph