Christmas Eve
“Liberation Has Come”
Over the last four weeks, we have been blessed with a variety of reflections from over 20 scholars, educators, pastors, artists, dancers, activists, and visionaries. These prophetic women, queer folks, indigenous people, and people of color have reminded us that hope, peace, joy, and love are embodied in our world every day, and in places that we least expect.
If you haven’t had a chance or if you’ve missed some reflections, please explore the calendar. And, while the season of Advent is over, we can always go back to these prophetic messages to be reminded that liberation is being realized in our troubled world each and every day.
In today’s Gospel, Luke quotes the prophet Zechariah, who rejoices in God who has come to set all people free. While both Zechariah and Luke speak to their particular times, they, like our modern-day prophets, proclaim that God continues to set us free. No doubt, COVID restrictions have restricted and confined us. Our usual plans of getting together at Christmas have been limited or cancelled. All of this adds to our raw emotions from an already difficult year. Mourning and grief as 1.6 million people have died worldwide due to COVID-19, including one of our presenters, Reverend Lynn Young. Despair over the loss of jobs, businesses, and uncertainty over the future. Anger and frustration still smolders from the senseless deaths of black and indigenous people at the hands of individuals and systems darkened by ignorance, fear, and racism. Compassion is tested by the deepened polarization and demonization among people fueled by media, movements of hatred, and populist leaders. All the while, the weak and poor, disadvantaged minorities, desperate migrants, and the earth itself continue to bear the weight of the actions of those whose consciences have been dulled and governed by greed. Many of us are imprisoned by these challenging times and our hearts are weary.
And yet, in this season of Advent we have been reminded by these prophetic voices that hope, peace, joy, and love still shines through our dark and dim times and like the sun, burn the fog of separation, fear, and despair that pervades us. This is what Christmas is – the embodiment, the incarnation of hope, peace, joy, and love in Jesus Christ who is born in the darkness of the world. The Good News is that this incarnation doesn’t just happen at Christmas but every time joy, peace, hope, and love are made visible, made real in our lives. This is what liberates us - God’s light through Jesus, through the grace of people of good will, dispelling darkness and setting us free. Let us rejoice in this Good News today and all the days of our lives.
Let us pray.
Liberating God,
We praise and bless you for continuing to set us free. From among your chosen people, you raised up Christ who embodies peace, hope, joy, and love. You shine your light in us, and modern prophets proclaim your liberating love. In these difficult times, open our hearts and tenderly heal, console, strengthen, and renew in us your abiding love. And with our hearts filled with your spirit and grace, shine shine through us to all those who live in darkness, despair, and death.
In the name of Jesus Christ, peace, hope, joy, and love incarnate,
Amen
