On this Holy Night the Church begins her Sacred Liturgy with a description of a rather pathetic figure. We never know her name, although she is clearly a foil for the nation of Israel, but we hear that those around her call her forsaken and desolate. She is like the old childless Sarah, abandoned by God and lifeless...just sitting around and waiting to die.
Sometimes we feel like God has forsaken us and that we dwell in a fruitless desolation with nothing to look forward to.
Some of you have been touched by death since last Christmas, and the one whom you loved has been taken away from you. And tonight, the first Christmas without them, your heart aches and its hard to fight the tears back. You feel forsaken, like God doesn’t care.
Some of you have lost your job and maybe the house this last year. Some cant pay for the kids to go to school and some had a hard time getting the money together for even a few Christmas gifts. You feel forsaken, like God’s gone away.
And some of you have lost your faith. Its only because they insisted that you went to Church tonight. The old flame of faith has grown cold, the sense that someone listens to you prayer has faded away, and there’s a big empty space where once a smiling Christ embraced you, consoled you, and nourished you with his Sacraments. You feel forsaken, like the Church has left you alone .
Each of us comes here with parts of our hearts and our lives which have grown cold and dark as a dark winter’s night. We’re like children, alone and defenseless against the cold cruel night of our desolation, just sitting there and waiting to die.
But then it happens, just as it happened for Isaiah’s desolate: a star rises, a light shines forth from heaven and with the giggle of a newborn child the world is made new. For the only-begotten Son of God has come down from heaven for us and for our salvation. He has taken on our miseries and become a man like us in all things but sin. He’s chosen to know what it feels like to be alone...he’s chosen to struggle against temptation...he’s taken evil and and suffering and even cruel death upon himself.
And with this birth we will never be alone again. For the death of the one you loved is destroyed by his death...and some day soon they will run out to meet you thanks to his coming this night!
And the disappointments and failings of this life are obliterated in the light of what he had prepared for us, and even our sufferings takes on meaning and goodness when joined to his sufferings for us.
And in this place, in this Church, amidst this family of believers, he feeds us with himself and nourishes us with his word, and makes us one with him so that no tear will not be dried, no fear will not be quenched and no darkness will prevail in the face of his invincible light.
And so we will sing forever of the goodness of the Lord.
The Lord who has known us from our mothers’ wombs. The Lord through whom we were made, who cares for us, and who longs for our return.
Surrender your heart to this mystery this night and you will know peace. Welcome this child into your heart and you will know perfect joy.
For unto us a child is born. Unto us a Son is given. And his name shall be called wonderful. Counselor. The mighty God. The everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace.
How blessed are we to be called to this supper!
Monsignor James P. Moroney
Rector
