Podcast of the complete Christmas Mass can be found HERE.
(The homily starts at the 22:44 mark.)
Song: Leonard Cohen’s, Hallelujah – lyrics written by Kevin Anderson:
A couple came to Bethlehem
Expecting child, they searched the inn
To find a place for a baby coming soon
There was no room for them to stay
So in a manger filled with hay
God's only Son was born, Hallelujah.
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Did you know that your brain is designed to look for the negative in life? It’s our species way of keeping us alive, i.e. we focus on the negative. For as we keep ourselves fearful and cautious, then the saber tooth tiger can’t sneak up on us and we live for another day. That’s why we have no problem accepting bad news (even fake news), because instinctually we want to survive.
The media usually plays upon that reality . . . have you noticed that the news rarely starts with good news, or even sports or the weather. They lead with breaking news, or shocking stories. If it bleeds it leads is often the motto. . that’s so we’ll stay tuned-in to their programs and then they can sell more advertising. We are programed for bad news . . . whether it’s gossip, or Tweets, or a put-down that you heard about yourself on Facebook. . . our first reaction is to believe it. “I knew it” is often our reaction. But this holy day is about something different . . .
I’ve heard about this baby boy
Who’s come to earth to bring us joy
And I just want to share good news with ya’
The king of peace came here on earth
It started with a simple birth
With every breath I’m singing Hallelujah.
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah
In a message to young people in New Orleans in 1987, St. John Paul II said:
It is with the truth of Jesus, dear young people, that you must face the great questions in your lives, as well as the practical problems. The world will try to deceive you about many things that matter: about your faith, about pleasure and material things, about the dangers of drugs.
And at one stage or another, the false voices of the world will try to exploit your human weakness by telling you that life has no meaning at all for you. The supreme theft in your lives would be if they succeeded in robbing you of hope. They will try, but not succeed if you hold fast to Jesus and his truth.
The shepherds left their flocks by night
To see this baby wrapped in light.
A host of angels led them all to ya’.
It was just as the angels said,
“You'll find Him in a manger bed
Immanuel and Savior, Hallelujah.”
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah
So what can we do to balance the bad news that surrounds us? I recommend to you, don’t watch/listen to only news programs. Start reading more books, listen to music. Do not get your news from the Internet. If you must use the internet, start viewing podcasts, TED talks or YouTube. Don’t let the media convince you that all we have is bad news. For that is exactly the opposite of the message of God being born. Jesus was born in the midst of bad news . . . bad government, migrants from the North who can’t find housing, pregnant young woman before she was married, stench and filth of a barn. And in the midst of all these things. God comes in the form of innocence. And God continues to come again today for you.
God comes in the midst of what can seem like the bad news of your life. That is, your sadness, your confusion, your loneliness, your depression, your worry about money or about relationships. God comes and we are be given messages that say . . . TRUST, BELIEVE, HOPE . . . you are not a mistake. You will not be abandoned. You will get through this.
For today, we celebrate the good news that God is with us.
God is stronger than any bad news around us,
God will not leave you.
Rejoice! A child has been born to us for hope. A Savior has been given, not to deny the bad news but to move us pass it. For God’s news is always stronger than the world’s bad news.
We come with joy of news that’s good
To recognize a time that would
Believe that God will always be with ya’
I have no doubt you’ll make it through
And all the angels will offer you
A chorus that sings Hallelujah
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah