Reading I
For Zion’s sake I
will not be silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her victory like a burning torch.
Nations shall
behold your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
you shall be called by a new name
pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
a royal diadem held by your God.
No more shall people call you “Forsaken,”
or your land “Desolate,”
but you shall be called “My Delight,”
and your land “Espoused.”
For the LORD delights in you
and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (2a) For ever I will
sing the goodness of the Lord.
I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
He shall say of me, “You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.”
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Reading II
When Paul reached Antioch in Pisidia
and entered the synagogue,
he stood up, motioned with his hand, and said,
“Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors
and exalted the people during their sojourn in the
land of Egypt.
With uplifted arm he led them out of it.
Then he removed Saul and raised up David as king;
of him he testified,
‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;
he will carry out my every wish.’
From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise,
has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel;
and as John was completing his course, he would say,
‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’”
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Tomorrow the wickedness of the earth will be destroyed:
the Savior of the world will reign over us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
The book of the genealogy of Jesus
Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.
David became the father of
Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.
After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile,
fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus
Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
It was a difficult journey to get this this point of celebration this year. Many of us thought that last year was going to be remembered as the strangest and most difficult Christmas in a generation, yet here we are. The situation hasn’t changed that much except that it feels like we are going in the wrong direction. We have grown used to being locked down, segregated, controlled, manipulated, and separated. Our patterns and behaviors have changed. We all have lost loved ones without being able to say goodbye in what would be considered a normal way. In fact, over the past 20 months it can be argued that nothing can be normal. There is a feeling that the entire world has been flipped upside down and nothing is as it was before. Each generational period brings about its own uniqueness with its people shaped and formed by the challenges presented to it. The pandemic that currently rages and society’s reaction to it is this period’s greatest challenge to date. Whatever opinion is held or whatever thoughts are had on this subject, it cannot be disputed that all people living today will be shaped physically, mentally, and spiritually by the events surrounding this pandemic. Things are not going to go back to the way they were. So, where does that leave us? Being people of faith, we have something that rises above all of this and has the capability to keep us grounded in what is truly important in this life of ours.
Regardless of what circumstances we find ourselves in, we should be comforted by the fact that our God is with us. He is not detached or absent during these times but is actively engaged in our day-to-day struggles. What this means is that anything that we confront is surmountable. We can overcome all obstacles and become stronger as a result. There is always a way to benefit from what we are experiencing in the moment and apply it to future situations. I mentioned the generational challenges previously. What this pattern tells us is that what we are going through is not unique. There has always been crisis and there will always be in the future. It is how we approach what is presented to us that can be unique. We can embrace what we face with our God or we can go through it alone. No one likes suffering alone, not even Jesus. A reliance on our faith and a trust that God will help us endure is the key to victory. Together, as the world’s largest community, the Church has always been a guiding factor bringing the faithful safely through the challenges of the time. This will never change. The Church, as The Bride of Christ, is intricately woven through God’s creation and is a comforting presence. Reacting to its presence and accepting its invitation to be embraced by her is what we need to do.
Yesterday was a very special day for me. To many observers it may have appeared as nothing special or out of the ordinary, but there were some events that emphasized what Christian Community was all about. The first had to do with me being asked to help with the distribution of the Gift Packages from Concord Prison Outreach. What started as an oversight and debacle by some individuals, turned into an opportunity of service. A group of us were asked to distribute all packages to J4, J5, and J6. Working together, three of us accomplished this in about 30 minutes. The rest of the units were handled the same way. It was exciting working together and doing it better than when the distribution was handled in the past. No fuss, no frustration, just a job to get done. Concord Prison Outreach gave the gifts and we delivered. Each was important in its own way. The second situation was even more impactful. Fresh from being locked down in quarantine, several of our community came to the chapel. I needed their help. The entire chapel had to be cleaned and decorated for the Christmas Season. Nothing had been done because no one was available. Advent had slipped away, and time was running out. Everyone chipped in and did what needed to be done. We them gathered and worshipped. What a way to end a lockdown and prepare for the Christmas Joy! What could have been two frustrating situations turned out to be two situations where the Love of God was present. God indeed makes everything better.
Sometimes, when we are confronted with seemingly impossible situations, it is good to focus on the little things. Mother Teresa said this often. It is the little things that we say and do that make the difference. When we learn to appreciate these little things and focus them instead of the bigger picture, then life becomes more joyous, and the Love of God can be easily experienced. The little things build a solid foundation and turn into great things. Small results lead to great results. Small positives lead to great positives. The image of the Christ Child in the manger drives this point home. Something so small, innocent, and undefiled led to the salvation of all God’s creation. This is how God works: the perceived weak are strong. When we feel downtrodden and hopeless, is when we can find victory in God and a new hope.
The Prophet Isaiah brought hope and promise to the Jewish people while that were in exile, telling them that Israel would be restored. This promise was also extended to the entire world, through the coming of Jesus Christ. It was through Israel and the Jewish people that Jesus Christ was to come, bringing salvation and joy to all of mankind. With this vision is there nothing that we cannot face? God provides all things, and He would never forsake us. As He revealed through Isaiah: “I will never forget you, my people.” We are His people. We are His children. He is our God.
Tonight, is the Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas Eve. We are invited into the silence of an impending event that will lead to a transformative experience for us all. We are invited to wait for this moment. Anticipation is encouraged. Excitement builds. Far away is the chaos of the world, for Christ is beyond this world. It is in the silence where we find Him. Here we can love and be loved. We gather here to acknowledge Christ and to worship Him. When we are done and go our separate ways. We are encouraged to take the silence with us and drift off into prayer as we prepare to sleep. Keep the silence with you. Relish the silence and embrace the night. There is light in the darkness and the light is coming into the world.
Deacon Tom
