Defining Moments

The war had finally come to a bitter end after eight long years.  The world's greatest super power with a well trained military and extraordinary naval power with bases throughout the world had to admit defeat.  The war had nearly bankrupted the country, popular opinion was against continuing the war that George had started.  The news media blasted the politicians and asked when the madness would end.

No, I'm not talking about Iraq or Afghanistan but of our own American revolution over 200 years ago.  It was not only a defining moment for us, it was the same for all the British soldiers and sailors caught up in the conflict.  As the army laid down their arms and prepared to march away the band played "The World Turned Upside Down."

In our culture today their are at least three defining moments: the attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22 and and the multiple attacks by extremists on September 11.  Each of these events marked a time when our world or that of our parents or grandparents was turned upside down. 

As Christians there are also defining moments that we as God's people share; December 25, Good Friday and Easter.  These are days that changed the whole world too.  No, not with bloody conflict but with events that involved God turning the world upside right.  We celebrate the fist of these earth changing experiences when God entered the world not as a super power ready to set things straight but as a non-confrontational baby. 

As a new grandparent, I've had the opportunity to witness the power that a baby has to alter the world.  God chose to come into the world not as envisioned by the prophets as an avenging king with the hosts of heaven behind him but as a little child.  Despite Herod's paranoia babies come among us without hidden agendas.  They are powerless to care for themselves and as such rely on others to be their arms and legs; protectors and care givers.

Babies don't demand love as much as they bring out the love that is within each of us.  We want their world to be a better place than the one into which we were born.  We dote on them and treat them as special for that they are.

Yes, God chose to come into the world as a baby to bring out the best in us.  It is too easy to become jaded by politics, greed, selfishness, hatred and fear.  That is why we take special care with babies to shield them from the evil of the world. 

This Christmas season we are once again given an opportunity to open our hearts to one another as we would for little babies.  For, the savior of the world has come into our world calling us to love one another in the same unconditional way he loves us, the same way an infant does to those around him or her.  It's easy to become infatuated with the innocent little one it is much harder to open our hearts to the homeless, the addicted, the mentally ill, the immigrant, and the stranger.

Perhaps, if we do open our hearts we will find that just as God intended, the world can be turned upside down and be a better place not only for our children but for all creation.  It is risky and we may be hurt yet if we do nothing we will fail to live out the gift we are given in God coming among us.

For those of you who have ever been to the City of Chicago and driven down the Kennedy Expressway (I-90) will see a number of large churches along the route.  One of them at around Armitage Avenue on the west side of the highway is St Mary of the Angels parish church.  It has a rather prominent dome  and the pediment of the church is topped with statues of angels.  Now from the ground or highway they look rather small but are actually 11 feet in height.

Angels are a prominent feature within scripture starting in Genesis and into the New Testament.  They are presented to us as messengers from God with something important for us.  It was from the angels that Abraham and Sarah learned that they would become parents in the old age and it was from an angel that Mary and Joseph learned too of their roles as parents.  They are not the only ones to receive messages for we too have been brought the good news of salvation.  Even the word Angel is found within the Greek word Evangelism which literally means ev - "good" and angel - "I bring a message."

The message we receive is that despite how messed up the world seems to be there is Good News if we are willing to hear it.  The good news is that we are loved and are called into a loving relationship with the creator of all.  We have a God who, realizing our penchant for selfishness, has given himself to humanity by becoming human from being born in a stable to dieing on a cross.  Without the incarnation we would still be simply creatures, now we are one with the creator.

One metaphor for this is the feeling you get when you get the news that a child is on the way and then see your new born for the first time.  You experience great joy and see a wonderful future.  You relish the child's presence and celebrate the profound impact it has on your life.  Celebrating the coming of Jesus into our world we are reminded that something special has and is happening to us.  We can echo then the message of the Angels and ask each other "Do you hear what I hear?"  Yes and it has changed our lives forever.  

There are always a few things to commend to readers and I will try to do so from time to time.  Among these items for your consideration is a free e-book by Fr James Waters:

Homeless at 15 Fr. Jim found himself in the slums of Chicago, lost in a land locked in the depth of winter with no faith or hope. Events would occur to place him in the midst what would become a lifetime of discovery, War, Terror and Life!