Christmas Confession - and Hope

Time for a confession from your pastor. I’m a nerd.

I love, LOVE Doctor Who.

There was not a time during seminary when I was not watching, listening, or quoting something from the famous BBC Sci-Fi thriller. There is something about the wonderful fantastical world of a time traveling alien exploring history, philosophy, and theology.

Without getting too much into the impossible details of a time traveling man with more than 13 lives from Gallifrey or entering into the discussion of which Doctor is better, I do want to quote my favorite Doctor, Matt Smith. During one of the episodes Matt Smith’s incarnation of the Doctor said that “the universe is big, it’s vast and complicated, and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles.”

I always ponder the miracle of the birth of Christ on Christmas. What was it like that silent night over 2,000 years ago when God entered into our lives as a small, helpless child. Scientists tell us that the universe is infinite - it has no beginning - it has no end. The size of one infant is insignificant if you put that up next to the endless expanse of our cosmos.

The prophets have prepared us for this coming. They have called our attention towards this miracle of Emmanuel, God with us. Yet, in this vast universe, complicated mostly by human sinfulness, something impossible happened.

Not the birth of Christ, but the impossible idea that God could actually love us - sinful and imperfect little us - so much that God gave God's only son to be here with us. To live with us. To love us. To call us to love ourselves.

This impossible thing, this miracle called Christ, is what I am pondering this evening. Pondering how on the night when we celebrate the birth of this miracle child we somehow join generations before us in praising the act of God’s divine love shown forth in Christ.

In some impossible way the world seems to slow down for just a moment and we can hear the hushed carols of those who have joined their voices to send prayerful song to God.

For a brief moment we join the shepherds on that impossible night when angels descended to announce that the birth of the savior of humankind was awaiting their visit in a stable.

For a brief moment we join the magi as they make an impossible journey to see the one who would bring hope and peace to even the gentiles and foreigners.

For a brief moment we join the impossible journey of two parents entrusted with the infant child of God’s who would bring about a new generation where God fulfills all promises to never abandon us.

Another Smith, Alexander Smith, a Scottish poet, is credited with saying “Christmas is the day that holds all time together.”

Christmas is the impossible time when we join so many to pray for peace and goodwill to be brought here on earth. Joining our voices with generations past as we raise our song to God yet again. Praying for peace. Saying that we believe that our God came to us as Jesus Christ that night, to love, teach us, and save us.

For the sake of our future we need not only believe this, we need to work together to make this impossible miracle a reality for those that have yet to know this compassion we express. This Christmas, may we be blessed with the joy and hope of the Christ child and may we work together towards a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Jason