Of course, we celebrate Christmas this weekend. We focus on the birth of our savior born in a stable in Bethlehem. I will now bring up a question to consider not only for today and this weekend but for the whole year. Why does Jesus come as one who is poor and why does he and the Church call us to focus on the poor?
This is an important question for us to understand what the message of Christmas is.
Let us look at some of the elements. Always it is important to understand a message by looking at the basics. Why does Jesus come, in order to save us from our sins which are the effect of original sin. What is the original sin? The decision by our first parents to disobey God so that they could be like gods.
So what does Jesus save us from, the horrifying effects of the decision to build a society comprised of gods. If you understand what that entails you will realize that if everyone seeks to be god they will create hell of the worst proportions.
A strange movement is growing
This is not ethereal thinking. This is a real idea to contemplate because there is a whole movement in the world calling people to put their faith in technology that will make them like gods. Not God but gods.
What do gods do, they do whatever benefits themselves first.
What does God do? He does whatever benefits his creatures first. So God will do what is best for those most in need of what he has to offer. Jesus comes to save us from the effects of those inclinations we have— to do what is best for us at the expense of others.
He also shows us how we must rely on him so that we can follow his path.
Jesus suffers an attempt on his life three times. The third is successful.
The first attempt is from Herod who kills every male child in the area under two years old with two exceptions John the Baptist and Jesus. Why? He believes he is doing what most benefits him.
In his own home synagogue, his people try to throw him over a cliff, why? Because he does nothing that benefits them when they expect him to give them special favors.
Finally, those forces seeking to kill him succeed on the cross, why because they believe it is their benefit that he dies.
Our heavenly Father’s focus on our service to the poor is based on his actions of doing what is best for us even though we cannot return the favor. This is what Jesus eventually teaches as well.
All human power will do what is best for itself first. It can indeed help others but it will do so in a way that will benefit itself.
This is why Jesus comes as one who is poor and comes to help the poor. He is beginning to reflect on what he teaches. Our Church if it truly wants to be a spirit of Christmas must understand that God seeks to help those who are most in need and able to receive his help. He will help all but most people do not want his help because it does not benefit them in the way they want.
So if we are truly going to live the spirit of Christmas we must be in touch with our lord through prayer all year and ask our Lord to show us how to imitate Him in serving others in ways that benefit them without benefitting us first. This is what Jesus did.
He did all he could that we can be saved without benefitting him first. In fact, he did all in obedience to the father.
Christmas is all about remembering that difference.
We have seen some real political battles in our country and unfortunately, one of the fruits of these battles is people seeking what they perceive is best for them. That is human reality.
We want our candidate, our benefits, our favors, and once we have them we can help others.
However, our faith is all about us doing what is best for all first. That means we must not work to a system that benefits others, we must first in the spirit of Christmas ask what can we do that benefits all.
If you look carefully, everything in our culture lately is the reverse of the Christian life. What is cancel culture—the reverse of bear wrongs patiently.
What is the bottom of line our politics? We want our world our way which is the opposite of the first commandment.
I could go on. I see people say we want a Christian country and demanding laws that enforce Christian morality. However, a Christian country is not about passing laws that reflect Christian morality it is about each of us seeking to do what Christ wants us to do in obedience to the Father.
That is the message of Christianity.
If we truly want to celebrate Christ today, then let us fight that which is in ourselves that teaches us to be like gods and seek instead to be like Christ. He worked for the best of others and not for the best for himself.
Jesus came to serve those whom the father told him to serve and he came up against the powerful who wanted their world their own way. That is what the powerful do.
We must pray and seek the world the way Christ wants us to live it. However, if we do it well then we too will continue to be enemies of the powerful who work for their world their way. Why? Because that is why Jesus came to save us from that human inclination not just to sin but to do whatever benefits me regardless of what is best for you.
If we choose to live as Christ calls us we will truly be his disciples.
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The Powerful Refuse to Hear Jesus' Message