Christmas: And the Word was Made Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14).

On this beautiful Christmas Eve/Day we celebrate that humanities prayer for God to intervene in the midst of our helpless condition was answered. God answered the prayer by coming to us as one like us to show us above all things how much God loves each and every one of us. God loves us so much that God made the choice to come into our world as vulnerable to to all the evils and filth of the human condition. In Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh, God shows us the best of humanity by identifying with us and challenging us to see God's glory amidst the poor and diversity of humanities existence.

When God came to us, God did not come as a mighty warrior to over throw worldly rulership and replace it with a new thirst for power and prestige through force, greed or dominance. Instead God makes God's Self submissive to human kind by being born in a messy stable in Bethlehem, and totally dependent upon a human father and mother to protect Jesus from those who do desire a thirst for dominant power and political greed.

In Jesus, God came for all of humanity. This is symbolized in most Nativity scenes including the Icon above by the presence of the donkey who represents the Jews and the Ox who represents the Gentiles. In Jesus, God raises humanity to a new level where there are no favorites, there is no one excluded from being part of God's plan of salvation.

"He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven adn on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers--all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things and in him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:15-17).The Christmas Story as found in Luke 2:1-20 tells us the story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. God's glory is sung by the Angels who announce it to the Shepherds who immediately go to see the Christ child. Even shepherds who were among those most marginalized are given the opportunity to see God's amazing work in the new-born King.

In the Out in Scripture for Christmas we read:

"Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) describes the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Reflecting on this passage, Alton Pollard says, "Aside from Luke, the only other historical record we have of the birth of Jesus is in Matthew. In Matthew, the story of magi is told, a story of the powerful, the elite. Society's standard-bearers were present, the kings with their gifts. In Luke, on the other hand, only the simple peasants and the shepherds were present. Two disparate accounts, two different segments of the social order are expressing themselves around this newborn child. Is it important or inconsequential that the stories are left to us this way? Why not a gospel story wherein the triumphant, the esteemed, the heads of state, the powerful aristocrats, as well as the humble, the demeaned, the forgotten and working people concentrate together on the divine mystery in their presence?"

Pollard continues, "Think about it. For if these two worlds flowed together there would have to be peace on earth. But as long as they do not come together and relate in ways that are mutually exclusive and unjust, there remains a vacuum in our world. War, violence, madness, envy, fear, hatred, all the grisly agonies by which our days are tormented persist and our nights are converted into nightmares. God's gift to us through the child Jesus is that all may know that nothing short of a miracle has come to meet our need this day."

At this joyous time of year, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community can celebrate the birth of the child Jesus whose entrance into our world marks the beginning of a new and progressive state of affairs. Like Mary, we should treasure "all these words" and ponder them in our hearts (Luke 2:19)."

Jesus came to set prisoners free. Sometimes we in the LGBT community can feel like we are prisoners of a society that bases discrimination on misinterpreted Bible texts about homosexuality. In the Name of Jesus Christ, members of the religious right suggest that the only way they are going to save society is to keep LGBT people from advancing in society and the Church. Yet, Jesus did not commission his followers to make people marginalized captive in the Name of a God who came to us in Jesus to bring liberty to those imprisoned. Jesus came to call those on the sidelines of society such as women, homosexuals/bisexuals and transgendered people, people of different races, nationalities, religions and challenges to celebrate their relevance as part of God's creation.

Bishop Gene Robinson spends Christmas Eve in a Women's Prison. He details his experience in his book: In the Eye of the Storm: Swept to the Center by God .

"My relationship with these women began three days after my election. Among the many greetings I received after that event was a note from a woman at the prison. In part it read, "I am neither gay nor Christian, but there is something in your election that makes me believe that there is a community 'out there' who might love me, despite what I've done."

"I met the woman who had written the note. She was only eighteen, and she had killed her mother, a forensic psychiatrist, three years earlier. As I talked with her, I got my first inkling about the broad ripples in the lake of humankind my election would cause. She saw this election--in her eyes, a church choosing an outcast as its leader--hope for her acceptance as a human being despite her heinous crime." (Page 102).

When God came to us in Jesus Christ, God came to give meaning to all who have felt that their life is without a purpose. Those whom society pushes aside, God comes in Christ to bring to center stage and gives them their mission to help transform the world by the power of God's unconditional and all inclusive love. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people are thought of by society and many in the Church to be those who need to be kept out of the center, because we have been labeled and thought of as failures. The reality is, our sexuality is a gift and sexual orientation is morally neutral. God came to us in Christ for those whom society and the Church calls meaningless, so that they may know they are most valuable and loved by God.

In today's Episcopal Cafe's Speaking to the Soul Vicki Black writes:

“He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” It should be noted that the sign given of the Savior’s birth is not a child enfolded in Tyrian purple, but one wrapped in rough pieces of cloth. He is not to be found in an ornate golden bed, but in a manger. The meaning of this is that he did not merely take upon himself our lowly mortality, but for our sakes took upon himself the clothing of the poor. Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich. Though he was Lord of heaven, he became a poor man on earth, to teach those who lived on earth that by poverty of spirit they might win the kingdom of heaven.

From Bede’s Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, quoted in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament III, Luke, edited by Arthur A. Just, Jr. (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2003).

As we gather with our significant others, friends, family, church communities or to just have a fun day, may we remember that this day belongs as much to LGBT people as it does anyone else. In Jesus Christ, God gave us relevance in the world and an opportunity to serve God through serving one another. God tells us we belong to the family of humankind just as much as anyone. God became one like us and loved everyone, even the eunuch's who are said to have been the gay people of Jesus' day. (See Matthew 19:10-12). Therefore, let no LGBT person be dismayed or think that they are not loved and cherished by One who has come to give them salvation. Like all people, LGBT people are called to love of God and neighbor. And like all people, we often fail to live out those commandments. When we do, God in Jesus saves us from our sins and gives us the power and chance to rise up and begin again.

May everyone who reads my blog have a very Merry Christmas and may you be loved by someone as I am privileged this Christmas to be loved by my wonderful husband, partner and best friend. But, on the chance that you are single and lonely, wondering how and when will God grant you that love of your life, consider spending some time in prayer and tell God you are lonely. Ask God to lead you to someone who can truly love you and be ready for God to answer the prayer in God's way. It can happen, and when it does it is beyond what you could have imagined. Give God in Jesus who was born on Christmas Day the opportunity to impact your life with God's love and let God do the rest.

Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (One of three Collects for Christmas Day, Book of Common Prayer, Page 213).