“You Can Become Young Again”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
December 24-25, 2022
Gospel: John 1:1-18
1 In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things came into being, not one thing came into being except through him. 4 What has come into being in him was life, life that was the light of men; 5 and light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overpower it. 6 A man came, sent by God. His name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness to the light, so that everyone might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, he was to bear witness to the light. 9 The Word was the real light that gives light to everyone; he was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world that had come into being through him, and the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to his own and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name 13 who were born not from human stock or human desire or human will but from God himself. 14 The Word became flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that he has from the Father as only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John witnesses to him. He proclaims: ‘This is the one of whom I said: He who comes after me has passed ahead of me because he existed before me.’ 16 Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received — one gift replacing another, 17 for the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
There are so many things I could say about Christmas. I could keep you here for hours, and even though we have padded seats, the mind will only hear what the seat can endure. But there are two things I want to mention about Christmas. One is to be grateful. There are times when we are not grateful. There are things we thought would work out but didn’t. People we love are no longer here. But be thankful for the time that you had with them. I am thankful I had the family that I had. And that’s as much as my attorney will allow me to say about them. But I am grateful for them. The second thing I want to say about Christmas is that we get so much from God which shows His love for us. Always say thank you. So few do. We get busy and distracted at Christmas time with shopping, travel, the weather, and this and that. We listen to the news, and everything is in crisis. Even so, we need to take time to say the Prayer of Thanksgiving which is the last part of the Mass.
I was meditating before church, and I thought of two things that I am very, very grateful for. The first thing is one that not all pastors can say. I am grateful that I am in the greatest parish in the diocese. I have been blessed to be here for 18½ years, and I hope to stay here until they finally put me into the old priest home. I have been with the best parish and the best people in the diocese. And although I say that to the Bishop, I don’t say it to other priests because they would want my parish. Also, you’ve heard the song, “I’ll be Home for Christmas.” One of the greatest Christmas presents I ever got was in January one year. I was in an airplane, and the captain came over the intercom and said, “We have now entered American airspace. Welcome home.” But the greatest gift of all is what lies in the manger and what lies reposed in the Tabernacle. Don’t ask, “What is love?” Love is not a “what.” Love is a “Who.” Love is a person. Instead of looking up and asking where love is, today the world can look down at it. God, Himself, became what He was not. He took upon Himself a human nature. Why? Because He loves us. As we say in theology, God is love. He loved us so much that He came down to take our human nature upon Himself. Through all the years of acts of love, the greatest of them is not His incarnation but His crucifixion, death, and resurrection so that we can share in His love for all eternity. So, we don’t have to ask “what” is love. Love is a “Who.”
People often say, “I like church at Christmas because it smells nice with the incense.” I went to college in the 1970’s, and I know we have a police officer in the crowd, but we don’t have any of that wacky stuff here. It’s still illegal here in North Carolina. But when I was in college there were a lot of different odors going around. Entering the dormitories sometimes made you wonder if you were in a monastery. But how wonderful Christmas can be with the beautiful vestments and decorations. However, it’s deeper than that. We have to look at Christmas with the wonder and awe of a child. Do you know why? Because the eyes of a child are not tainted by sin. Yes, they are tainted because of original sin, but they have few sins and probably no mortal sins. But as we grow up, we become jaded by life’s circumstances. . .by what we have done and what has been done to us. And we become hardened and calloused. But that can all be taken away when we come to the manger. This is a wonderful meditation and many books have been written about it. When non-Catholics see a manger scene, they wonder if it was put there by a Catholic. The manger is a way for us to meditate on the beautiful mystery of the incarnation.
So, how can we see with the eyes of a child? I have the best ophthalmologist in the business, and he cannot fix my eyes. But God can through prayer and the Sacraments. Slowly but surely my eyes will regain the innocence that was lost by my own sin and that of others. With all the world scattered around us, no wonder we believe the worst in people. But the eyes of a child still behold the wonder of Christmas. It’s like married love. I have done wedding anniversaries for people who were 60 years married. “Til death do us part” is not a death sentence that the State gives you. It’s not a waiting game until you are free. You should be more in love after 60 years than you were on your wedding day if you follow the holy way of life. Is it different? Yes. The man probably cannot open cans and jars anymore. He cannot bend steel with his bare hands. He is no longer faster than a speeding bullet or able to leap tall buildings at a single bound. Those days are gone. But the love has changed and is deeper and more profound than on your wedding day. Sixty years of prayer, sacrifice, and the Sacraments enriches it and makes it deeper and more profound because you are growing in Christ and to each other. The same is true with faith. The process of a husband and wife becoming closer is the same process in which we grow closer to God. That love for one another is based on love of God and through God. It is the love for our Lord. Our love for the Lord at the Mass in the Tabernacle can become so much more profound that we can become young again. No, I’m not getting my hair back, and I won’t be running 5-minute miles. But we can become young again, beautiful, and handsome. That happens in the heart. We are transformed by the love of Christ. He shows us how to love Him by loving us.
Our gift of love is much deeper. It is more profound and more childlike. This is God’s Christmas gift to you. What is His gift? Remember the first part of the sermon? It’s not a “what”. It’s a “Who.” God offers us the gift of Himself which is pure love.
How will you apply this message to your life? _____________________________
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