I don’t know about you but I’ve been having something of a – hmmm, let’s say trying – time. It isn’t the recession, but it probably is related to the general malaise around it. And it isn’t anything else in particular I can point to. But I must say, that the first line of the first reading appeals to me this Christmas: [Isaiah 9:2] The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined. It is comforting to remember that forever in the history of creation, people have walked in darkness, and that forever and eternally, on us, the light of Christ shines. It helps to know we are connected to creation through God who created us in God’s own image, and through God’s only Son, given so we might get it — about living in unity.
I heard a report on the nightly news that most Americans — 73% I think they said – celebrate “Christmas” but only a few — maybe about 20% of them — celebrate the birth of Christ. That’s sad of course. It explains why we’ve been listening to “Silent Night” at SuperFresh since Halloween. But it is too sad to think that all of those people out there rushing around buying presents and hanging decorations and worrying about their dinner menus don’t get it. Hmmm. Well if my job is to give us an uplifting message I’m not doing too well here, am I?
What about “don’t ask, don’t tell?” Well, if ever there were a case of people walking in darkness having the light shined on them this is it. And it is a terrific example of God fulfilling the purpose of God’s creation. God made us gay for a reason. Whether you ground it theologically by saying God made us gay in God’s own image, or whether you appeal to sociobiology, which says there must be a part of the population whose job is not reproduction in order to lift up the spirits of the rest, either way, God made us gay and now God has made light to shine on our lives, here as indeed it already does in many other parts of the world. It is a little bit like new birth, isn’t it? And there is the Christmas metaphor. If all Christmas means is gifts and groaning boards that’s pretty empty. But if we can imagine that what Christmas means for us – both this Saturday and always – is that there is always the possibility of rebirth, then we truly know what it means to be people of faith.
Isaiah goes on to say the yoke of their burden is broken. And they shout “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Hallelujah! For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all — even you and even me. God loves us, the sign God has sent to us is the birth of a child, a reminder that everything can always be made new.
So let’s be like the shepherds who wanted to go have a look. Let’s go with haste to that place in our souls where God’s fire is burning brightly, where a child’s birth can shake the world, where everything can always be made new. When we get there, let’s sing “Joy to the World.”
Merry Christmas my friends.
*Christmas Eve 2010 (Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96:1-4,11-12; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20)
©2010 The Rev. Dr. Richard P. Smiraglia. All rights reserved.
Dimensions of Reality: glbt Christian spirituality 