Homily given by Rev. Frank Clarkson on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2019.
It’s not my usual approach on Christmas Eve, but I have a joke for you. It’s about a time when Jesus and Moses went golfing. They come up to a hole that has a pond in front of the green. It’s a long shot to get over the water. But Jesus says, “I saw Tiger woods make this shot with a 3 iron. And Moses says, “Jesus, no disrespect, but when it comes to golf, you are no Tiger Woods.”
But Jesus says, “Moses, you’ve got to have faith,” and he tees up a ball. Jesus swings his 3 iron, and lo and behold, the ball lands in the pond.
Moses says, “I got it,” and he walks down to the water and raises his club and the waters part and he plucks the ball up off the now-dry land where water once was. He returns the ball to Jesus, but says, “Use a floater next time. I don’t know how many times I have that in me. Better yet, use your driver.”
But Jesus says, “No, if Tiger Woods can do it, so can I.” So he tees up another ball. And again, it falls short of the green, and splashes into the water, and is floating there. Jesus looks at Moses and sighs, and says, “I’ll be right back.” And he walks down to the pond, and because he’s Jesus, he walks across the water to retrieve the ball.
Just then, two golfers playing behind them are approaching the tee, and they see Jesus walking on the water. And one of them exclaims, “Jesus Christ! Who does that guy think he is?”
And Moses says, “Yeah, that’s the problem—he thinks he’s Tiger Woods!”
At this moment, on Christmas Eve, when we have heard the beautiful old story of the incarnation, of Love coming to life, the child of God being born to humble and ordinary parents in a dusty, out of the way place, attended not by the beautiful and important people, but by shepherds and animals, I need to ask you: “Who do you think you are?”
On this night, of all nights, I hope you can say, “I am a child of God. Even with my struggles and my failings, even with my doubts and my skepticism and my regrets, on this night I remember I am a person of faith, and hope. On this night, I can trust that I am beloved on this earth.”
I hope you can trust that, and believe it. Because it is true.
The radical story at the heart of Christmas, the story we Universalists love to tell, is that God’s love is so big that no one is beyond it. Over the years the church and the culture have often sanitized and prettied-up the story, have, as Garry Wills puts it, turned the manger into a Disneyland scene. But if you listen to the Gospels, if you wonder, “Where would Jesus be born today?” you understand it would not be in a hospital with excellent health insurance. No, he would be found among those living on the streets or hiding in the shadows because of their immigration status or held in cages at our border. The shepherds would be garbage collectors or cops out working the night shift.
As much as it may make those of us with comfortable lives squirm, the Gospel message is that God is more at home in a stable than in a palace. As we heard in that last reading, “saviors are found in the underground, outlawed, conspired against, and finally murdered. The good news always comes to us delivered by prophets and martyrs.”
The good and challenging news of this night is that we are called, in our own lives, to build a world worthy of our friend Jesus, and of all people. We are called to see one another, not just those we love or agree with, but everyone, as a child of God, as worthy of our care, our respect, our concern. I’m not saying this is easy. But it’s what we are called to do. It’s who we are called to be.
If that golfer had a conversation with Jesus, and asked him, “Who do you think you are?” I imagine Jesus would respond:
“I am God’s beloved. And that is where my strength and power come from. From knowing and trusting that I can never do anything to lose God’s love. That is what Christ means—anointed, marked as God’s own, forever. But here’s the thing, the place where you humans, and especially some of you church people, have gotten it wrong. I’m not the only one.
“I am one who’s particularly aware of my closeness to God. But you are God’s beloved too. You are called to be the bearer of God’s light and love in your own life, in these days. You are here to be a Christ presence in the world. You might not want to call yourself that, because people could think you’re crazy. But you are called to be God’s hands and feet and heart in the world. To be a light shining in the darkness. Trust me on this. I may not know a lot about golf, but I know this about God. That our God needs as much help as she can get. God needs all of us, spreading love and hope in the world. That’s what my birth story is about, and why you are here.”
Thanks Jesus. For reminding us of the good news of this night, that we are all part of a great and abiding Love, that will never let us go.
Now let us vow to carry that Love out into the world, and share it widely and extravagantly, everywhere we go.
Amen.