24 December 2008
Christmas Eve
The Rev’d Lloyd Prator
New York City


And so this is Christmas. In its own inimitable way, the secular culture, of which we all are a part, has been reminding us that the holidays are upon us. I believe that it was about the end of September when a small display of Christmas ornaments made its appearance like the icing on a cake at Costco in New Jersey. The Indian casinos are advertising trips upstate to see their grand displays and participate in their even grander gambling endeavors. Some of our friends and yours have made their ways to distant parts of the country to see their families and their friends. Couples and partners slip away together to have quality time away from the demands of work, home and family. People who have just met and are enjoying the gleam of new love slip away together to see if this might be the one.

And the gifts. We take the time to find the right thing for people we work with, for people whom we owe favors, people we like and folks we love. Sometimes we stretch our budgets and our credit cares when we have found just the right thing, that gift which we know, absolutely know is the very thing that he has been wanting for the whole doggoned year.

Here comes the flood of cards. It is like a tide: Out go dozens from your mailbox, and in come dozens to replace them. Like the waters coming up on the beach. Some are lovely. Museum reproductions of classic paintings, contemporary designs on heavy modern paper and thick gold lettering, many are lovely. Personally, I draw the line just this side of the glowing Santa Claus lifting an overflowing martini glass, but, after all, it is all a matter of taste.

Clergy often take times like this to lament the decline of modern culture, overspending, dubious taste and wretched excess associated with Christmas.

And that is precisely what I am not going to do tonight.

Because, looked at rightly, each aspect of modern culture strives to express a truth about this Christmas holiday, that holiday which celebrates the birthday of God living among us, in the person of Jesus.

What Christmas is about is actually not that far from what the culture tells us. It is about intimacy and gift giving.

It is about intimacy. At Christmas, we strive to be close to those we love and are about. That is the purpose Christmas cards serve. I cannot tell you how many times I have hard, this season, and every season, a line that goes like this: “I hear from people at Christmas that I only hear from at that time of the year”. It is our time to catch up. Even the Xeroxed Christmas letter singing the praises of the family and their achievements represent an effort to remain close. And Christmas is about intimacy. The truth about the Christmas gospel is that in this holy day we celebrate God drawing near to us. Being born as we are born, just as he will grow as we grow, suffer as we suffer, and die as we will die. Christmas is the beginning of the season in which we will celebrate the God who draws near to us. So, you see, the popular culture almost has it right! It is all about drawing close, just as God draws close to us in Jesus.

And it is about gift giving. Now, I am not talking about the credit card stretching, budget busting excesses of overspending. What I am saying is that the giving of a simple gift is meant to reflect the giving of the greatest gift of all, which is life without limit or ending. For today is the first day of a year-long drama stretching to Easter. In that drama, we celebrate the love of God who overcomes for us all our limits.

And so this is Christmas. When you send out that pile of cards, and look for just the right gift for just the right person, you are on the right track. Because Christmas is about the deepest intimacy of all, the love of God for humanity. And because Christmas is about the greatest gift of all, the gift of everlasting life.

We have a little gift for you today; if you can stay for a few moments after church tonight, we have a punch bowl set up out in the parish hall and we invite you to join us to begin our celebration of Christmas.