12.26.11
Christmas Eve Meditation
The PBS news magazine, Religion and Ethics News Weekly, recently reported on a significant crime problem: the theft of the baby Jesus from untold outdoor nativity displays. As she reported the problem, the anchor also promised a “potential solution.”
Being a good, solid religious news show, well-versed in all matters of religion, I thought I knew what solution they would propose— don’t put the baby Jesus out until Christmas Eve! I’m still convinced that all those Jesus thieves are secret members of the liturgical police. They are saving the world from liturgical incorrectness! Put the baby Jesus out when he’s supposed to come, there would be no need for the messianic thievery.
Thinking the religious world finally was getting on board with a practical solution to the mass kidnapping of baby Jesuses, I was disappointed to hear the actual solution. “Brickhouse Security has developed a small GPS tracking device that can be attached to the baby Jesus figurine. If someone steals it, the device alerts the owner with a text or email and the authorities can track where it went. Brickhouse is distributing the device for free to churches and other qualifying non-profits. The program is called “GPS Jesus.” It can be used for Santa and Rudolph or other holiday figures as well. But the baby Jesus seems to be the most popular among holiday thieves.”
I find this whole obsession with knowing the precise location of the baby Jesus, Emmanuel, God-with-us, fascinating. It’s like this is the one time of year when we can have a little control over where God-with-us is…God-with-us is right there, in the manger, in the stable, right there between Mary and Joseph, right where he’s supposed to be. When the baby Jesus isn’t where he’s supposed to be, something feels incomplete, unfinished, unwhole.
Let me say that again. When the baby Jesus—God-with-us—isn’t with us, something feels incomplete, unfinished, unwhole. When God-with-us goes missing, it leaves a gaping hole in our lives.
But I bring you good tidings of great joy! We don’t need a GPS to find Jesus! No APBs will be necessary this Christmas Eve night because God-with-us is not missing! God-with-us is here, has been all evening—in the Scriptures read, in the songs and carols sung, in our togetherness, in the silence, in the candlelight… In fact, God-with-us shows up every time we open our eyes and our hearts to the divine presence in our lives.
So, yes. Go ahead..it’s okay to look—the baby Jesus is there, right where he’s supposed to be—in the manger, in the stable, right between Joseph and Mary. But I also invite you to look around you…because God-with-us isn’t only in that tiny piece of pottery. God-with-us is everywhere. All we have to do is look.
Thanks be to God!
Loving God, we thank you for this night and for the best story of our whole Christian faith: the one that reminds us that you loved us so much you wanted to become one of us and to come live with us in our real lives every day.
Remind us again, God, that if your story is to continue—just like tonight—every single one of us has a role to play. If the sad and lonely are to feel better—we have to do our part. If the poor and homeless are to get what they need– we have to do our part. If people are to learn about how much you love them–we have to do our part.
Help us always to do our part in the ongoing story of your love for all people, God…but most of all, God, we thank you for doing your part. Now we join together in praying the Lord’s Prayer…
