Christmas Homily
December 25, 2022
Love Incarnate
It was
St. Francis of Assisi who created the first-ever creche scene, like the one we
have up front in church – except his was alive! It was in 1223 that Francis was
visiting an Italian town called Grecio where he was to celebrate Christmas. He
knew that the people of that town had lost much of their love for God, and were
very lukewarm Christians. So, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he found a small
cave near to the town square and brought in hay, donkeys, sheep, and had a man
and woman play Jesus and Mary with an empty manger. Then, before the Midnight
Mass, Francis called together the townspeople to visit the manger, as he began
to preach to them about the Incarnation of God taking flesh.
St.
Bonaventure, a contemporary of St. Francis, tells us that as he began to
preach, a marvelous thing happened – several people noticed that there was a
beautiful baby boy in the manger, even though Francis had not arranged for a
child to be brought there. Clearly this was a child of heavenly origin! When
the preaching concluded and people filed into the church, the babe was nowhere
to be seen, but the people gathered up the hay and kept it as relics – finding that
those who touched the hay were miraculously cured of their diseases. But more
importantly, the people of Grecio were cured of their hardness and coldness of
heart when they beheld, in the flesh, God upon the earth.
I have a
very heavyset friend who likes to say, “Food is God’s love made edible!”
Sometimes I want to tell him, “Mike, you need a little less of God’s love in
your life!” But I like the sentiment, and I would say that the Christ Child is
God’s love made visible. If you want to know how God feels about the human
race, look at the child in the manger.
Consider
some aspects of love. First, love desires to be close to the beloved. When two
people love each other, they find ways to be together: going on dates, doing
fun things together, just hanging out. For His part, God so loved the world
that He sent His only Son to dwell with us. For some reason He enjoys our
company!
Second,
love desires to give to the beloved. You may recall the famous Christmas story “The
Gift of the Magi” by American author O. Henry. It features a young husband and
wife, penniless, who wanted to get each other a gift for Christmas. The wife goes
to a hairdresser to sell her hair to make money to buy a chain for her husband’s
pocket watch. When the husband comes home from work, he gives her the gift of
ivory hair combs, having sold his watch to purchase the gift! Despite not being
able to use either gift, their love was confirmed and deepened by the giving.
So, as God loved the world, He wished to give that which was most precious to
Him – His only beloved Son, Who took flesh to give His life for us on
the Cross.
But here’s
the thing – love that only goes one way isn’t love, it’s infatuation. It must
be reciprocated to truly bring about the completion of love, which is the union
of two-into-one. There is another beautiful story of St. Francis, who one time
went missing. His religious brothers couldn’t find him for several days, and
they began to be very concerned. Finally, one brother stumbled upon the saint
in a clearing in the forest, crying out over and over again, “Love is not
loved! Love is not loved!” His heart was broken that the depths of God’s love
would go unanswered, unloved.
It is
significant that Jesus was born in a manger, with no room left in the inn.
Sometimes our lives are so full that we run out of time for Him. We’re
exhausted at the end of the day and we collapse into bed without a moment of
prayer…we schedule our weekends so packed that there is no time for Mass…we
make our life’s plans and don’t turn to Him to see what His beautiful will is
for us.
Christmas
demands a response. God has taken the lead, extended His hand, offered an
invitation. His love should move us, as it moved the people of Grecio, to begin
to love Him in return. He came to dwell with us – will we spend the time in
prayer to dwell with Him, and allow Him to dwell in us physically in the Holy
Eucharist? He came to give Himself to us – will we give Him our lives, that He
may make us holy like Himself?
Behold,
in the manger, God’s love made visible. Now welcome that Divine Love into your
soul. Will you return love for love?
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