Homily for Christmas Mass during the day 2009

This past year was one of several new beginnings for me. It was my first year as the new Deacon and all the joy and excitement that this ministry presents. And in this past year I also experienced the new beginning of a new job at the bank; not just a new job, but one of the first to help launch a new position.

How many of us have experienced "new beginnings"? Remember when you began school as a young child? Perhaps your memory is more of the beginning of school for your own children. Beginning a new job; now that's always an adventure; one mixed with excitement and perhaps a little apprehension. When you said "I do" that was a new beginning as husband and wife.

As people of faith, we have arrived at what St. John calls "in the beginning". How interesting that the evangelist chose a phrase we could relate to. In the beginning is something we can understand. But St. John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, knew, as we know now, there really wasn't a beginning after all. God is eternal; there is no beginning!

We tend to focus on the beautiful story of the announcement to Mary by the angel of the conception of Jesus in her immaculate womb. And we tend to focus on the beautiful readings of the Nativity, the birth of Jesus and his coming to the world as a baby amidst the animals and chaos of a lowly stable, first worshipped by the poor shepherds of the nearby fields.

But St. John tells us clearly in this specially selected Gospel for Christmas Mass during the day, from all eternity, Jesus' participation in the entire divine plan included Him always with God the Father as the Word; the Word that is with God. He was in the "beginning with God" is how John wrote it; again using the word beginning because, well, because we may try to understand.

This is a profound and lofty reflection for us on this beautiful Christmas day. This indeed is the day we celebrate the new life that is Jesus, God made man, the day we ponder His birth. But John is helping us see that it is also the perfect day to ponder His divine "always-ness"; if I may invent a new word! The babe we welcome into our hearts again this Christmas is, was and always will be God the Son, the Word of God, God made man who dwells among us.

And St. John clearly helps us see that the Christ is the light. Jesus is the light that casts away the darkness. This is not the darkness of night time or that accompanies a thunderstorm, Jesus the light casts away the darkness that resullts from sin and division and turning away from Him. And to be this light for all of us, to be the light that guides all humanity, Jesus, the very Word of God, became flesh and made his dwelling among us. And St. John then tells us; we saw His glory.

On this Christmas morning, as 2009 slips into it's last few days, do we see His glory? What does Jesus dwelling among us mean to us today? What room have we made in our own hearts, for the Son of God and Son of Mary? Can we spend some time during what is left of our Christmas Day celebration and ponder these two questions? Can we keep Jesus paramount in our thoughts and words as we delve into the turkey, rip open the presents and travel to and from grandma's house today? And just one last thougt...

Celebrate the entirety of Christmas. Christmas Day is another "in the beginning". We now start our Christmas celebration. The Christmas Day Octave is the church's way of celebrating this divine plan of salvation today, all the way through next Friday. Many of us are off work in the week ahead. Make a comittment to attend Mass during the Octave, or stop by the church and make a holy hour in front of the Tabernacle. And as we visit with friends and family this week, do see with profound kindness and keep in our heart and mind, those who may be very lonely this Christmas.

Yes, perhaps today is another new beginning in your life. Maybe the coming New Year will be filled with other new beginnings. May we reflect on the beautiful beinning of today's Gospel story which really is not a beginning at all. He always has been, is and will be. And to that we all can say; Merry Christmas.