Learning the Message of Christmas

Mother and Child

The most profound message of Christmas is that God came to be with us, that God entered the human experience as a baby born in a barn, that God meets us in our suffering and darkness. Part of my Christmas was learning the gospel anew, taught and led by two amazing people.

The first was my two year old nephew. We opened gifts this morning and I, if you know me at all, very predictably bought he and his sister story books—fairy tales, Santa stories, and a little Christmas storybook. We all sat down on the floor and Josiah was fascinated by the animals in the nativity story. Once we reached the end of the story, I pointed to the picture of a baby in a stable and asked him; “Who is this?” His eyes got big and he pointed to the baby. “It’s Abby!!!”

Abby is Josiah’s baby sister, born to my sister, a single mom and the bravest, most courageous woman I know. We nearly lost Abby several times, as my sister struggled through surgery while pregnant and then faced a deeply personal tragedy. This is Abby’s first Christmas and her darling little smile is a reminder of new life in hard circumstances, a reminder that light comes out of darkness, a reminder that God too became a baby born in the middle of tragedy. So, from the lips of my little nephew, I learned the gospel anew.

The second person was a man I spoke too while out on the street Christmas morning, myself and another priest friend, talking with folks. He and his friend sat behind some old buildings and we went up to wish them a Merry Christmas. He lit up and spoke like a prophet. “Let me tell you what Christmas is about,” he said. “It’s about grace.” We were sitting together on the ground, the sun peeking through the clouds, the buildings abandoned and old and full of graffiti. He smiled. “And joy.” I nodded and he looked at me closely. “You know we even find grace here in the alley of shame.” It was the first I had heard this term, referring to the area we now sat, a common hangout for folks on the street, a popular place to get drugs, and a place where some people slept. His smile was radiant. “It’s all about grace. Not condemnation. Not shame. Grace.”

If I had any idea that I was the one giving words of hope in the conversation, that went out the window. This man shared the gospel with me on Christmas morning. As we looked over a desolate city, struggling to survive, he saw hope in grace. On those who sit in darkness, the light will dawn.  

And so I learned the gospel anew this Christmas. From the lips of a little child. From the wisdom of a new friend.