Year A Christmas Eve High Mass, 24 December 2022 The Only Way

 Year A Christmas Eve II, 24 December 2022

St. James the Less Episcopal, Ashland, VA

“The Only Way”

Collect

O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Old Testament Isaiah 62:6-12

Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted sentinels; 

all day and all night they shall never be silent.

You who remind the Lord, take no rest, 

and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem 

and makes it renowned throughout the earth.

The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: 

I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, 

and foreigners shall not drink the wine

for which you have labored;  but those who garner it shall eat it

and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in my holy courts.

Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; 

build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, 

lift up an ensign over the peoples. 

The Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth:

Say to daughter Zion,

"See, your salvation comes; 

his reward is with him, and his recompense before him." 

They shall be called, "The Holy People,

The Redeemed of the Lord";  and you shall be called, "Sought Out,

A City Not Forsaken." 

The New Testament Titus 3:4-7

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The Gospel Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20

[In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.]

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" 

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Tonight we began with the prayer, “O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light…” The True Light. Not a nice light, or A true light. In our decidedly better world where we acknowledge others’ perspectives and beliefs, this type of language can sound exclusive or harsh. But tonight I want us to consider what Jesus brought into the world and why it is all the more needed, and even requisite, for this world to continue. He came to rule with truth and grace, to change the nations into one Kingdom of God, that they might live in and embody his righteousness and the wonders of his love. This, my friends, is our ONLY HOPE.

The day before Bishop Stevenson’s ordination and consecration, our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry spoke to the clergy of the diocese. It was deeply moving and inspiring. It was from his heart, one hurting from so many tragedies and hate-filled actions in our headlines. He spoke about how the pandemic was a consciousness raising event for him. He spoke about how it brought clarity, a singular truth. He said, “The very Life of the World DEMANDS us to live the life of love that Jesus taught.”

When Jesus says that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, he means it. This is not about excluding or separating anyone, but a call for his way of sacrificial love of neighbor is the only hope for the world. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

When we live with Uvaldes and Ukraines, this world needs the message of Love and Peace that Jesus taught, and it needs it RIGHT NOW. Jesus’ form of Redemptive Love was never that he took, but that he gave. “No greater love has anyone than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” “He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

As Bishop Curry said of Jesus’ Redemptive Love, “ANY OTHER WAY IS THE WAY OF DESTRUCTION.” Period.

I was so pleased when he echoed this message in his Christmas message to our Episcopal Church. I quote him here:

Jesus came to show us how to live, reconciled with God, and with each other, and He taught us that the way to do it is God’s way of love. For God’s way of love is God’s way of life. It’s our hope for our families, our communities, our societies. Indeed, it is our hope for the whole world. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, and love came down at Christmas.

Now, look, I’m 69 years old. I’ve been around the block a little bit. I know that sounds nice, sounds like the kind of thing we say in church. It sounds nice, but naive, idealistic but unrealistic, and yet, consider the alternative. Need I just simply say the names? Uvalde, Vestavia Hills, Tree of Life Synagogue, Club Q in Colorado Springs, Ukraine.

Now, God’s way of love is not naive, it is not unrealistic, it’s the way. It’s the way to life for us all. Dr. King once said, “Darkness cannot cast out darkness; only light can do that. And hatred cannot cast out hatred; only love can do that.” Love came down at Christmas. And as some of us are beginning to say in this Episcopal church of ours, “Love always.”

God’s way of love is God’s way of life. In Christmas that way began, and it continues on to this day. If it did not, we would not, we will not, be here at all.

This way of Love is not limited to just our faith. Jesus’ messages and teaching have changed nations and continents. It is the cruxpoint of history, that hinge that continues to save us from ourselves. The teachings of Jesus can conquer empires and abolish even the most evil hatred we might encounter. Consider Gandhi, a Hindu, but a student of Jesus.

Gandhi said:

“I like your Christ, but not your Christianity… I believe in the teachings of Christ, but you on the other side of the world do not, I read the Bible faithfully and see little in Christendom that those who profess faith pretend to see…” 

[As reported by Dr. J.H. Holmes in the Harvard Crimson, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1927/1/11/mahatma-gandhi-says-he-believes-in/]

While many thought Western colonization brought Christianity, the oppression wiped out any hope our faith may have brought. But this simple man preached non-violence. “When someone strikes you turn the other cheek.” He preached that no one should be lower class, but that we should all serve one another. He read, and tried to live out the Christian scriptures faithfully.

 

Renowned reporter Edward R. Murrow said of Gandhi at his funeral where approximately two million souls gathered to honor him: 

“The object of this massive tribute died as he had always lived - a private man without wealth, without property, without official title or office. Mahatma Gandhi was not a commander of great armies nor ruler of vast lands. He could boast no scientific achievements or artistic gift. Yet men, governments and dignitaries from all over the world have joined hands today to pay homage to this little brown man in the loincloth who led his country to freedom. Pope Pius, the Archbishop of Canterbury, President Truman, Chiang Kai-shek, The Foreign Minister of Russia, the President of France... are among the millions here and abroad who have lamented his passing. In the words of General George C. Marshall, the American Secretary of State, “Mahatma Gandhi had become the spokesman for the conscience of mankind, a man who made humility and simple truth more powerful than empires.” And Albert Einstein added, “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

[https://www.squaducation.com/blog/death-mohandas-k-gandhi]

Gandhi walked in the way of humble love and peace that Jesus calls us to still. The Message will always win, not without cost, but it will always win. What does the Lord require of us? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. Turn the other cheek. Love your enemy. Do good to those that hate you. Bless those that curse you. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Friends, these hard teachings are the only hope we have.

On this Christmas Eve, in the simplicity of the humble babe born alone in a stable, with only unclean shepherds to welcome him into the world, the angels could not stay quiet proclaiming the dawning of the age of the Kingdom of God, a divine conspiracy to turn the darkness to the light, to change self-preservation to world-transformation, to drive out hate with unconquerable Love, for Love never fails.

There will be costs. Gandhi was killed for this message. Jesus was crucified. The blood of the martyrs line the path to the Kingdom of God. But God’s Rule will not be overcome. The Light that came into the world cannot be extinguished.

As Isaiah prophesied:

The Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion,

"See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him." 

They shall be called, "The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord";  

and you shall be called, "Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken." 

Friends, we are waging a war of Love against Hate. This very week, last Sunday,  people handed out flyers HERE IN ASHLAND on several streets and neighborhoods with antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ propaganda. [source: https://www.ashlandva.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=600] They do not speak for Christ. They do not speak for me. As the town said in its official statement: 

Hate has no home here in the Center of the Universe. The individuals or groups of individuals responsible for the flyers seek to spread disinformation, sow hatred, encourage intolerance, and are not a reflection of Ashland’s values.

We are here and we will remain. God planted us here for a reason, to be an outpost of his Kingdom and workers in his fields. We will continue to share the message of this one born this night in the city of David, the ones the angels proclaimed and the shepherds worshiped. His message is still so needed. I need it each and every day, for the world wants to drag me away from the Hope, and Love, and Redemption Jesus offers.

As we sing tonight, may it be a rallying cry. You still need it. I still need it. Ashland still needs it. 

He rules the world, with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove

The glories of his righteousness, and the wonders of his love!

May we make it so. Amen