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December 24, 2003; the Nativity of our Lord, Year C
    The Rev. Harold "Skip" Comer, Rector

As I set out the rest of the olive wood nativity figures yesterday it reminded me of a story I read several years ago.  It seems even more appropriate tonight as our own county is in a high state of terrorism alert as the threat of terrorism plagues the world in which we live.

A man by the name of Mark Link was returning home from a trip to the Holy Land with some friends.  One of his friends had purchased a hand carved nativity set out of Olive wood while in Bethlehem; a set quite possibly like ours.  All of the figures were there – Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, an angel, the shepherds, and an assortment of animals.  When they arrived at the Tel Aviv airport for their return flight to the United States, they found police and military personnel everywhere.   Terrorist activity had increased during their visit, and security had become especially tight.  The customs agents carefully went through all of their suitcases, paying particular attention in the nativity figures.  They examined each piece very carefully and even after they had successfully passed through an x-ray machine, the customs agent had security dogs sniff the carvings for explosives.  Almost apologetically at the end of the process, the customs’ agent in charge of the examination said, “We cannot take any chances, we cannot be too careful.  We have to make certain that there is nothing explosive here.”[i]

There is an irony in this incident.  The customs agent handled and examined a depiction of the most explosive event that has ever occurred, and pronounced that it was safe.

Perhaps an even greater irony is that some Christians see the birth of Jesus Christ as safe.  After all, who can a baby harm?

In a stable in Bethlehem two thousand years ago something happened that has changed the world.  We gather tonight to celebrate that event, which is God coming into our world in the form of a little baby named Jesus.  But we must be careful with this gift from God because it is intended to explode.  Explode in the sense of releasing the power of God’s love upon the people of the world.

Just as the birth of Jesus changed Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and many other people; so it can change us.

Phillips Brooks, a former bishop in the Episcopal Church, captured the significance of Christmas in his nineteenth century hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  Listen to the last line of this famous Christmas carol – “O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray; cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.  We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!”

We have gathered tonight because we belong here.  We belong here, because unlike the inn keeper and many others, we have made room for Jesus in our lives.  Tonight and every day of the year we open our hearts and say “O come to me, abide with me, my Lord Emmanuel.”

Tonight is the celebration of the promise and hope of new life that can be found in no other person but Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

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