Technical Support - Christmas 2020

There are two great mysteries of human existence: life and death. At the end of the 20th century, another great mystery started to appear: computers and modern technology. Aside from know how to start it up or shut it down, I don’t know much about computers or any other fancy technology. But life and death? Throughout my own journey and in my ministry I have learned a lot about both.

Good morning dear friends and Merry Christmas!

I am not very Tech Savvy. When it comes to my computer, I have a tendency to lose my patience when it is not doing what I want it to. A computer has a mind of it’s own and it is rarely wrong. Being somewhat hot headed, I quickly come unglued when I am overwhelmed with things that I don’t understand. If I want to get anywhere, whether it is my smart phone, my tablet or whatever technical device, I have to ask someone to help me. The person on the tech hotline can try to walk me through whatever problem I am having, but, well, I end up frustrated.  For me, what I really need is to have someone sitting next to me to show me how it is done. It is all about learning by doing.

Mysteries of Life

Up until the twentieth century, technological mysteries were not a problem. People then seemed to occupy themselves with the great mysteries of life and death.  Children would ask how they got here and how the world was made. As people got older they would begin to wonder what happens when we die. But today, I don't want to talk about life after death or my computer problems.  No, on this Christmas morning, I want to talk to you about the mystery of life.

I like to believe that our life comes with instructions from the one who created us. Some of these instructions can be found in the world around us, and as we journey through life, we pick up little tips along the way. Other parts about our life are pre-programmed, if you like, into our human nature. But, could you imagine installing a new update on your phone and not taking the time to learn the new features? Imagine trying to put together your IKEA furniture without looking at the instructions. Let’s just say you might find yourself a little bit lost. What out our lives?  All too often we try to run our lives without taking account of God's instructions.

The Gospel According to John

God’s instructions are The Word. I read it in the Gospel of John (John 1: 1-18). John’s very pictorial image can be interpreted as being simple, or complicated. Kind of like the instructions for an IKEA closet. Sometimes we get frustrated, especially with instructions that aren’t very clear or understandable. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Easy, right? If we don’t take the time to study the instructions, just one screw in the wrong place and our closet is a mess. Doesn’t that happen to us in our lives? We mess up, thought we had it all figured out, and then all of a sudden something is out of place and we wonder what our purpose is. Then we realize we need to have a look at the instructions. We pray. “Dear God, I’m having some trouble here with my life. Can you help me? Tell me what I should do.” And then in steps God's technical support department: 'At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets.' Yes, Moses and the prophets have told us what we are supposed to do, but we're not so good at understanding the words they are saying, and, in any case, even when we do understand them, we tend to 'forget' to put it into practice. And so our prayer goes back to God once more, 'We're still having some trouble with our lives down here: can you tell us what we're supposed to do?' And then, God, who is infinitely patient, takes a cosmic deep breath and says, “Let me show you.” And God comes down, sits beside us and shows us how to live our lives. The Gospel says, “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

That my friends, is what Christmas is all about. God says, “Let me show you.”

Learning By Doing

God shows himself to us in a way we can relate to most clearly. The Word, God the Son, through whom all creation was made, and through whom we receive the gift of life, becomes a human being, becomes one of us. At Christmas, God says, “Let me show you myself”. He hands us his instructions for our life. God shows us, in Christ, his love for us and his mercy for us. He humbles himself to become a man, born of Mary, in order to save us from our sins. At Christmas, God says, “Let me show you how much I love you.” And God shows us in Jesus what men and women should be like. “To those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God”, says John in today's Gospel. If we accept Jesus, my friends, the Son of God, we are given the power to be like him. We are given the power to be adopted as sons and daughters of God. The life of Jesus Christ is a model, no, it is the model, of how to love and how to live. At Christmas, God says, “Let me show you how to live.”

Living The Gospel

Brothers and Sisters, 2020 will end in less than a week. How are you/we going to look back on this past year? Will it be with sorrow, doom and gloom?  Or will you/we reflect on all of the things you/we have learned and experienced? There are lessons to be learned every day and it takes a lifetime to learn how to live. God gives us the instructions and he gives us Jesus as a guide. Today, let us give thanks to God for the gift of his Son, and pray that, throughout the coming year, we may have the patience to follow him. 

Amen and Merry Christmas.