Christmas - Christmas Year C

 Homily 14-2021

When I was a little child, the crib’s appearance was always good news. I loved the story; and I heard it with joy because I knew that when the crib came out, the presents would not be long in coming either. Early impressions are always deep impressions. But Luke, and Matthew, wrote their Gospels, not for children, but for adults.

As we heard just now, Luke prefaced his story with the historical context of Jesus’ birth. Palestine was an occupied country. The Roman army were the equivalent of the police forces of today — except that they were ruthless and cold-hearted. The Roman armies conquered and occupied countries for the sole purpose of revenue and raw materials. For the local inhabitants, life was tough.

The purpose of the “census” that Luke referred to was simply to calculate the annual general head-tax to be forwarded on to headquarters.

Joseph and Mary had to travel down to Bethlehem. They were two of the nameless poor pushed around by Rome. And Mary was heavily pregnant. Luke made no mention of a donkey. Like so many others, they simply had to walk, despite Mary’s condition. A local travellers’ inn would be no place for a young mother to give birth. Luke put them in an unoccupied stable instead. No mention of animals, beyond the reference to an empty manger — hardly hygienic, certainly not comfortable. No mid-wives either.

Yet Luke would soon invite us to reflect deeply on who this child was, wrapped in the swaddling cloths of the poor, with a manger substituting for the cradle.

How could he make clear the mystery that had happened? Luke was writing with the benefit of fifty years of prayerful pondering by early Christian believers like himself. He moved into symbol, but not without continuing to emphasise the sheer inconceivability of what was happening. He summoned angels, traditional revealers of mystery, to proclaim what he wanted his readers to be aware of right from the start of his Gospel. He had the angels announce: “news of great joy, joy to be shared by the whole people. A saviour has been born for you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Consistent with his message, Luke mentioned that the recipients of the mystery were shepherds. At that time in that world, shepherds were regarded as not unlike what many think of a Bikie gang today— uncouth, living on the margins.

An angelic choir then revealed more of the mystery: “Glory to God in the highest heavens, and on earth peace to all who enjoy God’s favour”. What sort of a God was this! Were the angels really saying that all enjoy God’s favour, whether poor, the suspect, and those consigned to the edges by society — like shepherds? Perhaps like Mary and Joseph, too? Or even like the baby?

By his captivating story, Luke was preparing his readers for Jesus’ later inclusive and sensitive outreach especially to all whom polite society chose to disregard.