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December 27, 2020: Be Different

Reflection by Molly Weyrens, Pastoral Associate

Merry Christmas! I hope with our different Christmas celebrating this year I hope you are still finding time to enjoy the season. In a way hopefully it has allowed us more time to focus on the real meaning of the season as we have had to simplify. Someone on the radio said,’ Christmas is cancelled.” I told people at church, “NO! Jesus is still going to be born!” I am grateful that we are a people of faith who believe that this little kid changed the world and can continue to change us!

I have recently watched a show called “The Chosen” which is an amazing depiction of the life of Christ. During one of the scenes where Simon Peter doesn’t understand a decision that Jesus has made, Jesus says to him, “Get used to different.” I love that line. Jesus’ life and ministry were obviously DIFFERENT and it changed the world.

After Jesus was born things were certainly different for the people of Israel. He came with a message of hope and compassion and love that we still try to share today. THAT is what hopefully sets us apart as people of faith. We know there is a different way from what the world offers us which is division, mistrust and materialism. How great that we have been offered a DIFFERENT way to be. The question is, “How different are we being from that of the world?” Can people see something DIFFERENT in us?”

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family and we have the lovely gospel story of Simeon and Anna who have waited their whole lives to see the Messiah. They are in their late 80’s. When Mary and Joseph bring Jesus in to ‘present’ him to the Temple, Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Messiah and is filled with JOY!

Just a note about presentation and purification… it was prescribed in the law that when a mother gave birth to a male child that she needed to stay away from the Temple and other people for 40 days to ‘purify’ her body and become ritually clean. Also, since each first born male belonged to God, Jewish parents needed to ‘redeem’ or kind of ‘buy back’ their child. Jesus never needed to be ‘bought back’ as he belonged wholly to the Lord, but Joseph &Mary kept these laws as an act of obedience to God. Usually when an offering is made at the Temple there is a reason behind each one. Some were offered for praise and thanksgiving while others were offered to atone for sins committed. Obviously, Mary did not need to offer one for sin. But it is significant that they made this offering.

Their offering bridges the gap between the Hebrew scripture or Old Testament and the New Testament. They also bridge the generations with Anna and Simeon – the elders and the new parents, come together. It’s a sign of the old view of the Law and the new view of the Law with the birth of Jesus. But it’s all connected.

We also know that Luke as a writer was very fond of including women into his stories and many times they were seen as equal to men. This was of course not what the culture was about. Anna and Simeon were both seen here in the Temple as equals before God in receiving this message of the Messiah. “Get used to different.”

Today we also celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen whom we recognize as the first martyr. In this story, we see a hint of what is to come with the mention of Saul. At the time of Stephen’s stoning, Saul was against the Christians – but remember , Saul becomes Paul and spread the message of Jesus further than probably anyone else ever has -  “Get used to different.”

So, how about us? How do all of the stories we have heard during Advent and Christmas call US to be DIFFERENT?  A hint is found in today’s second reading from Colossians. Paul shares, “Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion….. kindness…. humility … gentleness…. patience….forgiveness… LOVE… How will YOU put these on in the days ahead and be different? How will you practice kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness and love differently? I invite you to take some time this weekend to sit with that reading and make some decisions about how you will practice them DIFFERENTLY.

This life of Jesus blew up the Roman world and how they were operating. The event of Jesus’ birth is too important to just put back up on the shelf with the elf. Our world is in need of desperate healing and hope. “Get used to different. And then BE different.”

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