December 25th has come and gone. The angels have heralded the birth of our Lord. Jesus is born.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke begin with stories of the nativity of Jesus. The beginning of the Gospel of John, as was read this morning, is different however. It does not tell of Jesus’ conception or of his birth. There are no references to Mary or Joseph. The Christmas story is completely bypassed.
Instead, what the Gospel of John does do is start in the same way as Genesis: “In the beginning….” Both Genesis and John begin by telling us of the coming of the light. The light that John refers to, however, is Jesus. The gospel of John offers us Jesus as the Word incarnate, the Word made flesh. Instead of angels, it is John the Baptist who heralds the coming of the Messiah. Jesus is the Word made flesh to live among us. Jesus offers us the means to encounter God in our day to day lives. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. Everyone is empowered to become a child of God. Not just the Jews. Not just those of the bloodline of Abraham. Not any one group. But to all. We are all his chosen people.
A few days ago, in Kenya near the border with Somalia and Ethiopia, members of al-Shabab, a militant group which aligns itself with ISIS attempted yet another attack against Christians and other non-Muslims. In this case, the target was a bus carrying more than 100 people from Nairobi to Mandera. Attacks by this militant faction have become so routine that buses now travel with police escorts. Unfortunately, the police car accompanying the bus on this day had broken down. This ambush by extremists began with the sound of gunfire, and the impact of bullets striking steel. The bus lurched to a stop and at least 10 Somali militants clambered on board, heavily armed. The gunmen began shouting demands at the passengers, ordering them to get off the bus and separate into groups — Muslims on one side, everyone else on the other. The well-known modus operandi of these militants includes the killing of Christians and other non-Muslims.
In this instance, everyone, including the Muslim passengers, most of whom were women, refused to leave the bus. The Muslim women gave other women their hijabs, their head coverings, to wear. As one Muslim passenger explained, “We gave some non-Muslims our religious attire to wear in the bus so that they would not be identified so easily. We stuck together tightly.” Others helped non-Muslim passengers to hide behind suitcases and bags on the bus. Yet another group of Kenyan Muslims shielded the Christian passengers with their own bodies and told the attackers they were prepared to all die together. The militants killed one Christian man as he ran from the bus as well as the bus driver, but eventually left without harming any of the remaining passengers. Those who helped and shielded their fellow travelers, who stood beside them even though threatened with their own death, surely reflected the image and presence of God.
In the Gospel reading today, we hear of how John the Baptist recognizes Jesus as the light that has been given to the world. No one has ever seen God, yet through Jesus we were given the opportunity to see God made flesh. Through Jesus we are given the opportunity to experience the image and presence of God among us. And time and time again we are given the opportunity to encounter God in those around us.
A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went to a small town in upstate New York, to join in their Victorian Days Celebration. Because we spend a number of weekends each year in this small town, we have come to know the owners of the inn at which we stay quite well.
On that particular Saturday, Garth, one of the innkeepers, came up to us in the lobby and introduced us to Daniel, a young boy of around 13 and his younger sister, Polly. Garth went on to explain that Daniel was performing magic tricks in exchange for donations. The donations were for the family of Polly’s best friend. Their home had been completely consumed in a fire just two days before. Daniel wore a top hat and carried an old beat-up suitcase, which contained the cards and wands and other paraphernalia for his feats of magic. Frank and I watched Daniel perform a magic trick (it was a card trick and I have NO idea how he did it…I think it may have been magic.) We gave him a donation and thanked both of them for the kindness they were extending to their friend’s family in their time of need. We chatted with Daniel and Polly for a few minutes before I left to go to our room. Garth followed me until we were out of the sight and hearing of the children, then stopped me, saying he wanted to share something with me. He told me that the family who had lost their home was quite poor. Daniel and Polly’s family, however, lived in much more extreme poverty in a small rusted out trailer with utilities that rarely worked. Yet collecting donations for their friends was just one more act of extreme kindness that they were known for. Garth said he thought I would be interested in this backstory. I was so touched by the efforts of these two children. I later had the opportunity to meet their father, Luther. I commented that he must be very proud of them for what they were doing. He told me that he was the most blessed of men, blessed to have two such wonderful children. I was so happy that Garth had shared the children’s story with us, because it allowed my husband and me to recognize the true depth of the generosity of these two young people. Time and time again we are given the opportunity to encounter God in those around us. Certainly, Frank and I encountered God’s image and presence in Daniel and Polly on that December day at the inn.
Now as Christians come together, many of us will be asked “So, how was your Christmas?” It is asked as if Christmas is over. But Christmas is not over. Christmas marks the beginning. The beginning of the word being made flesh. And each year we celebrate that beginning anew. The beginning of Christ here among us. And if we look around with eyes and hearts wide open, we too can encounter God’s image and presence among us.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. There is a blessing that is offered that reads, “May you always seek the face of God, and may you be blessed with recognizing God’s image and presence in the faces of those you encounter today and every day.” I too, wish that for each of us. But I also hope that each of us is blessed with ways to create opportunities to be seen as God’s image and presence to those whom we encounter, each and every day.
Jesus is born. Merry Christmas. And Amen.