The family has now (but for me and a son) gone home, and my parents and son are asleep. we opened gifts as a family on Christmas eve, Have had breakfast with my sister and parents, and lunch in a restaurant… with my other sister, brother, aunt and parents.
It is 5 PM.
And I am reflecting on the one part of today that was calling me beyond my family and celebration — and that was the sermon at my old church.
UPDATE.
Ratzinterfrom the midnight service at St Peters.
“Today Christmas has become a commercial celebration, whose bright lights hide the mystery of God’s humility, which in turn calls us to humility and simplicity,” he said in his homily to about 10,000 people in the basilica and millions more watching on television throughout the world.
“Let us ask the Lord to help us see through the superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind it the child in the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true light.”
4But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he 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. 6This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
I did not like the service. It was too clappy. Too jolly. Too much greet me (I do not like strangers coming up and wanting to hug me. I am Presbyterian But the sermon as about God emptying himself of his divinity and becoming flesh… and how when we do good the “gospel is seen through human skin”. For the purpose of the incarnation was that we would be saved by Christ, and by his mercy.
This is not to distract from being with my family, or having a celebration, or exchanging gifts. There is nothing wrong with any of these things, and I am glad that we are sill able to be together on Christmas day.
But the day is more than the Commonwealth version of Thanksgiving. It is a recollection of God coming to this earth, and for us.
UPDATE: I am no Catholic, but this Pope does at times preach sense.
“Today Christmas has become a commercial celebration, whose bright lights hide the mystery of God’s humility, which in turn calls us to humility and simplicity,” he said in his homily to about 10,000 people in the basilica and millions more watching on television throughout the world.
“Let us ask the Lord to help us see through the superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind it the child in the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true light.”