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Trinity Episcopal Church Hattiesburg, Mississippi Christmas Eve December 24, 2006 Go To Trinity's Home Page

Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 98:1-9
Hebrews 1:1-12
John 1:1-14
The Collect of the Day
From the Revised Common Lectionary as Adapted for Use by the Episcopal Church
and Authorized by the 74 th General Convention of the ECUSA

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 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. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14)

Unexpected, Much Anticipated, Jesus Incarnate
The Rev. Dr. Bill Stroop, Rector

     It was dark – not exactly the time of day to be wearing sunglasses. Only the flashing lights of the police cars illuminated the scene with spasmodic pulses of blue and red light. There was smoke billowing everywhere from the fires, mayhem, and destruction of the gun battle that had raged minutes before. The camera zoomed in on his profile. He turned to the camera, his face sweaty; the lights reflecting off of his dark glasses. “I’ll be bach.”

     The sales of Ray Ban sunglasses soared after Arnold Schwarzenegger’s portrayal in The Terminator.[1] But there is a much greater breakthrough in glasses technology on the horizon. A new system called “Argus” named after he mythological Greek god who had one hundred eyes may provide sight to the sight-impaired. A small video camera is mounted to a pair of sunglasses similar to Schwarzenegger’s Ray Ban’s.[2] The camera is connected to an implant in the eye that sends electrical signals to the retina, which will in turn send signals to the brain. Viola, vision! Or as Isaiah put it, “ 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” (Isa 9:2).

     Luke tells us that it was into the darkness of night that Jesus came. But Jesus also came into the spiritual and political darkness of Israel. For centuries, Jesus’ people had experienced oppression, the tramping of warriors, and the tumult of battle. Theirs was a time of daily depression, oppression, and death. Darkness had indeed settled onto the land of Israel.

     In the reading from Isaiah we hear about the time when Assyria moved to conquer all empires to its east and south, including Babylon, Egypt, the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

The Assyrians were greatly feared. Isaiah predicted that they would come swiftly, with arrows sharp and all their bows bent; their horses’ hoofs would seem like flint (Isa 6:27-30). They would come roaring like a lion, and seize their prey (Isa 5:29); darkness would devour the land.

     Isaiah’s words to his King and to his people were words of warning. But they were also words of hope. Isaiah told of a child to be born (Isa 7:14) who would grow in stature and authority. The people’s oppressors would be overthrown, and the blood stained clothing and the boots of war would no longer be needed (Isa 9:4-5).

     The child would become the wonderful counselor who would establish endless peace and introduce a new way of seeing. Isaiah ignited a hope that shone brightly in a world of darkness, where war and pestilence seemed immanent.

     This birth marked the beginning of a potentially new way of being for the human race; one in which injustice, selfishness, and violence were replaced with justice, righteousness, and peace. Jesus’ arrival turned expectations upside down; he came as a prince but was born in a barn; God came to us as a vulnerable baby instead of a conquering warrior.

     Each of us comes here expecting something. It is Christmas Eve. It is the night when the angels came to the shepherds and scared the bejabbers out of 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.” They weren’t expecting this! They weren’t expecting anything of the sort. Yet they went into town anyway to look for a baby wrapped in swaddling and lying in a manger.

     That’s why we’re here. We are here to find him. We are a little like those terrified shepherds who groped through the cold night air toward a stable in the distant town of Bethlehem. We have been told great news, and we come to find it. We come to find God among us.

     We come, hoping to find the light shining in the darkness. We are seekers. The shepherds found God in a baby. The wise men did too. Later disciples found God in Jesus’ words; his teaching and preaching. Others found God in Jesus’ willingness to break down social barriers and to embrace the untouchables. Still others found God in Jesus’ death on the cross. Even more found God in the resurrection.

     In her story “An Expedition to the Pole,” Anne Dillard drew parallels between those of us who seek God through the sacraments and the rituals of the church and the earliest explorers who attempted to reach the north or south poles. The Pole of Relative Inaccessibility” she wrote, “is that imaginary point on the Arctic Ocean farthest from land in any direction.” “The Absolute,” she wrote “is the metaphysical or religious Pole of Relative Inaccessibility. It is that point of spirit farthest away from every accessible point of spirit in all directions. It is also the Pole of Most Trouble and the Pole of Great Price.”[3]

     The early explorers to the Poles – at least the British ones – had no more clue about what they were seeking than those shepherds. In 1845, Sir John Franklin and 138 officers and men sailed in two ships to the North Pole. Each ship carried a twelve day supply of coal for a voyage projected to last two to three years! Instead of carrying additional coal, each ship quite properly carried a 1,200 volume library, a hand organ, china place settings, cut-glass wine goblets, and ornately carved, sterling silver flatware of Victorian design bearing the initials of each officer as well as their family crests.

     Years later, at places called Terror Bay and Starvation Cove, Inuits discovered the remains of Franklin’s men who had dragged their boats across the ice before freezing to death. The two original ships, you see, had gotten surrounded by pack ice, and frozen in place. With only days worth of coal, the men decided to walk for help. Outfitted with supplies from the ships’ stores – including chocolate, tea, and a great many pieces of their personal sterling silver flatware – the officers and men left the ship wearing only the uniforms of Her Majesty’s Navy.

     These stories would be funny – and so unmistakably British – if they weren’t so terribly tragic. But the fact is that we Christians can be like those early British explorers – perhaps especially on Christmas Eve when the Absolute Pole of Relative Inaccessibility comes very close to us. Do we really have any idea what we are doing when we come to the communion rail and open our hands to the presence of the living God? Instead of wearing our Christmas church clothes like the uniforms of Her Majesty’s Navy, we should be wearing crash helmets lest we actually reach the Pole and have God touch us!

     I don’t think we know with any certainty at all what really motivated the shepherds or what they expected to find. All Luke tells us is that they came to “see this thing that has taken place.” But the experience was transforming. They reached the Absolute Pole of Relative Inaccessibility and left changed by the experience. They had been deeply touched by God. Years later twelve more men would be similarly touched – and they would change the world forever.

     This is one of the holiest nights of the year. It is when we come close to the Pole. It is a time when the brightness of God’s love for all of us can penetrate the kinds of darkness that don’t have anything to do with degenerated retinas. Maybe our personal darkness comes from depression, or disillusionment, or doubt. Perhaps it originates in discouraging work or a deteriorating relationship. Maybe it comes from loneliness, having nothing to look forward to, no contribution to make, or no one to love. Maybe we are in darkness because we feel powerless to effect change. It takes more than an Argus retinal implant system and special glasses to help us see in this kind of darkness. In fact, we can’t do it; it is beyond our ability.

     God knows this. That is why God gave us Jesus. It is in the stories about him that we can sense the Absolute that Anne Dillard speaks of. It is in the very human-ness that we can touch and feel the real presence of God.

     In a few minutes we will celebrate the Eucharist. When you come to the rail, remember the shepherds who were the first to come to Jesus. Remember the wise men. Remember the disciples. Remember the millions upon millions of Christians who have come before you and who will come after. All of us – on this special night – come to the Pole. And although we might be confused by the spinning compasses in our hands like the early explorers, or baffled by the presence of a small baby when we were expecting a warrior, we can be confident that God’s love will warm our spirits and light our paths. Merry Christmas!

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Isaiah 9:2-7

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. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Psalm 98:1-9

1 O sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
have gotten him victory.

2 The LORD has made known his victory;
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.

3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.

7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.

8 Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy

9 at the presence of the LORD, for he is coming
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

Hebrews 1:1-12

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.” But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And, “In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end.”

John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 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. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

The Collect of the Day

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.

[1] See the sunglasses at http://www.dealtime.com/xFS?KW=terminator&FN=Sunglasses&FD=22686&x=9&y=9.
[2] For a description of the Argus system, see http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,67429,00.html.
[3] Annie Dillard. Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters. (New York, NY:HarperPerennial, 1982), 31.

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Copyright © 2006, William G. Stroop - All Rights Reserved.
21 December 2006

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