The
Revolution Starts Tonight...Again
Tonight
the world is changed. After tonight the world will never be the same
again.
Sounds
a little naive doesn’t it? I mean will the news headlines on
Thursday really be all that different than they were yesterday?
Probably not. But still I believe that tonight the world is changed.
Why? Because I have heard the angel proclamation and because I have
heard the song sung by the pregnant Mary.
Jesus
is born and Jesus comes to change the world. And so, because of this
night the world will never be the same again. If we are honest, which
of us could say that is a bad thing?
After
all, most of us have a list of things we would make happen if we had
a magic wand that gave us the power to order the world as we think it
ought to be. Yes I know that power would be incredibly dangerous but
doesn’t it sound tempting sometimes? What would you change? What
would be on your grown up Christmas List?
Long
before Jesus was born the prophet Isaiah lived in a time of troubles.
In his lifetime he would see Jerusalem captured and the temple
destroyed. But he also saw hope: “the people who walk in darkness
have seen a great light. On those who dwell in a land of deep
darkness light has shined...for unto us a child is born, for unto us
a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty
God...Prince of Peace”. Years later another man preaching under the
name of Isaiah would say to people in exile “A
voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall
be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven
ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain...Get you up
to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your
voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up,
do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See,
the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward
is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock
like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them
in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.” Both Isaiah’s
knew that God was going to transform the world. As people of faith we
share that promise and that hope. Tonight we celebrate that hope
coming to fruition. For on this night is born to us in the City of
David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
In
the poem that Sharon read earlier the Rt. Rev. Dr. Richard Bott (to
use his full title, most of us just call him Richard), Moderator of
the United Church of Canada sets the Christmas story against our
current news and writes:
There
is no Silent Night,
when
a little one is ripped
from
their parent's arms.
The
keepers of the sheep will not hear the angels'
"Glory
to God in the Highest,"
over
the guns of war.
The
Wise Ones
will
not be able to see the star,
when
the skies are filled
with
the LED signs,
proclaiming,
"more, More, MORE!"
The
Christ-child is born,
in
bus shelter,
in
prison cell,
at
border fence,
in
shelled-out hovel.
(There
Is No Silent Night by Richard Bott)
Richard’s
verses show clearly the broken-ness of the world. They remind us how
the priorities of the world have fallen away from the priorities of
God’s Kingdom. Christmas has always come into such a world. Sure
the exact details have varied over the centuries but the reality of
broken-ness has not. And yet I started out by saying that tonight the
world is changed. And I do believe it. Tonight the healing of a
broken world begins... again.
Luke
tells us that before Jesus was born Mary went to visit her cousin
Elizabeth, who also happened to be pregnant. While she was there Mary
uttered what is nothing less than a revolutionary manifesto. In fact,
over the course of the 20th Century those verses that Pat
read a few moments ago have been banned by various oppressive
governments. Wouldn’t want too many people hearing about the God
who “has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted
up the lowly” and “has filled the hungry with good things, and
sent the rich away empty”. Mary sings of the God who will do such
things. When her son is grown and starting his ministry Luke tells us
that Jesus reads these words from Scripture “The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the
poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery
of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the
year of the Lord’s favour.” and then followed that up by saying
“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”. In
Jesus the revolution proclaimed by Mary is begun. In Jesus the world
is being changed and repaired, new priorities are being set. This is
Good News which shall be for all people. Tonight Jesus is born and
the revolution begins again, anew.
This
is the power of Christmas. The power of Christmas is not in sweetly
sung carols, or in candles shining in the darkness, or in carefully
worded prayers. The power of Christmas is not even in families and
friends gathered for parties and special meals. The power of
Christmas is in the God who loves the world so much that God will not
give up on us. The power of Christmas is in God breaking into the
world to change it, to bring on the Kingdom of God. The power of
Christmas is in God sneaking into the hearts of God’s children to
change them and bring on the Kingdom of God. The power of God is to
start a revolution – even if it seems to take a long time for the
revolution to take effect.
This
evening we have lit candles. And each candle has had a word attached.
I think that each of those words ties in to the revolution the
Christmas brings.
HOPE:
At the beginning of any revolution there is often a lack of evidence
that it things will actually change. Often it seems that the status
quo will win out. Hope is what keeps us looking for signs that the
change is happening. Hope is what will make the revolution keep
going.
PEACE:
The revolution of Christmas is kind of odd. Normally revolution means
violence and killing and destruction. The change proclaimed by Mary
in her song and then by Jesus in his life will come by the victory of
a deep peace based in justice where all have what they need to live
together in peace -- “and the wolf will lie down with the lamb”.
The Kingdom is not going to be won by armed conflict (which may be
why the revolution has to start again every year with so little
evidence of progress). It brings true and abiding peace.
JOY:
Than angels proclaimed to the shepherds on the hillside “Do not be
afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all
the people”. When we are reminded that God is at work in the world
it fills our hearts with joy that we are not forgotten. Joy to the
world! The Lord is come!
LOVE:
In the poem that Susan read earlier we hear the words:
Welcome
to Love, we’re no longer alone.
In
joy and sorrow, to day and tomorrow,
Love
will be with us. Love’s here to stay.
Sing
every morning: “It’s Christmas today!”
(No
Longer Alone by Miriam Therese Winter)
The
work of Christ is the work of love. The work of changing the world
that begins tonight is the work of love. Love is the prime motivator
of Christian faith and ministry. Love is what God is about in Jesus
-- “for God so loved the world that God sent God’s only begotten
Son”
CHRIST:
Jesus is the instigator of the revolution. Within Christian theology
Jesus both announces and initiates the coming of God’s Kingdom.
Jesus teaches us what it means to live as citizens of that Realm,
Jesus shows up how to do it. And when we sometimes (often? usually?)
have trouble remembering how we are to live Christ proclaims God’s
forgiveness and reminds us ‘if at first you don’t succeed: try,
try again’.
A
Catholic hymn-writer named Rory Cooney wrote a hymn based on Mary’s
song. The chorus says:
My
heart shall sing of the day you bring
Let
the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe
away all tears for the day draws near,
and
the world is about to turn.
(My
Soul Cries Out/ Canticle of the Turning by Rory Cooney)
Every
year when we hear the angels speaking to the shepherds on a hillside,
every year when we visualize Mary laying her child gently in the
manger, we are reminded that God is starting something new in the
world. Jesus was born long ago. Jesus is born tonight. The revolution
of God’s Kingdom began long ago. The revolution begins again
tonight. Are we willing to join in the revolution? Or as Richard says
in his poem:
Are
we willing to meet the Child;
and,
in meeting,
change
our world?
Are
we willing to change the world,
and,
in changing,
meet
the Child?
(There
Is No Silent Night by Richard Bott)
Jesus
is born! The world has begun to turn! Nothing will ever be the same
again! Glory to God in the Highest! And on Earth Peace, Goodwill
toward all.
May
it be so. Amen.
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