Christmas Day Mass

"A light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower." If you visit Whitehaven, in Cumbria, where Fr Matthew is parish priest, and go into the magnificent parish church of St Begh, you will see, hanging high above the sanctuary, written in Latin and in gothic letters, those words from the Prologue of St John's Gospel, "a light that shines in the dark". They are very poignant words when you consider how and when St Begh's was built. If you know something about the Catholic history of Great Britain, you will know that, on the whole, the Catholic population in the 19th Century was made up of poor Irish immigrants, who lived in what have been called "Catholic ghettos", the most insalubrious parts of town, low-lying and damp, cramped and airless, overcrowded and ridden with vermin and disease. And yet these people, rich in faith and in devotion to Christ and his Blessed Mother, built this glorious testimony to God's presence among us. "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, full of grace and truth."

St Begh's, like so many other Catholic, Anglican and Non-Conformist churches and chapels of the time, was built on the pennies of the poor. The less people had, the more generous they were, as Jesus himself pointed out to his disciples with the widow's mite in the Gospel. Today, as we all know, the whole world is sliding recklessly into recession and the powerful are powerless to do anything about it. There are forces at work that are stronger than any government. "See how the mighty fall," you could say, and, of course, we are all worried about what the future holds for us and for our children. Nevertheless, it could be true that we all need to learn again what it means to be "poor in spirit", and we also need to learn again the truth that we can do without almost anything and that in recent years we have been far too affluent and wasteful. It is a scandalous sight to see shoppers coming out of a supermarket, their trolleys overburdened with needless purchases.

No matter how bad the recession that lies ahead or how deep the credit crunch cuts, one thing must be sure for Christians: "a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower". Now that light is not a financial upturn or an economic miracle. That light is Christ, "the true light that enlightens all men; and he is coming into the world". Christ alone is the light of the world. Only from him can we receive the fullness of grace, "for grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ." That was the faith and the hope that sustained the people of Whitehaven in the poverty and misery of life in the slums. But there is more.

Those words floating above the high altar point to another, connected reality, that Christ, our Lord and Saviour, that Christ, the light of the world, is present on the altar through the sacrifice of the Mass. Each time Mass is celebrated, Christmas is renewed as Christ is born anew through transubstantiation. The sanctuary becomes a stable and the altar a manger. We, like Mary and Joseph, like the shepherds and the kings, kneel and adore Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, God made man, and in the Host and in the Chalice we see the glory of God. "No one has ever seen God: it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father's heart, who has made him known."

At the consecration the priest elevates the Host and the Chalice for all to see and adore. In them, through the power of the Holy Spirit, "God is in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." In them we see the Babe lying in the manger at Bethlehem, which name means "house of bread". In them we see "a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness cannot overpower."

On behalf of the monastic community I wish you all a very happy and a holy Christmas. May the light of life, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, shine brightly in your lives and in the lives of those you love. Amen.

 

Christmas 2008 Midnight Mass

"God's grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions." These words come from St Paul's letter to Titus and were the opening sentence of tonight's second reading. They sum up the very meaning of Christmas: for us, for all people, for the universe, for God himself.

In the newborn babe lying in the manger, God's grace, his love, his mercy, his generosity, his humility, everything about him, has been revealed. That, in fact, was the message of the angels to the shepherds as they kept watch over their flocks that starry night, "news of great joy, a joy to be shared by all the people: a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

What is salvation and how has it been made possible for the whole human race? To be saved means to know God and to know that he loves us and made us to love him. It means discovering what life is all about and living that life to the full, life in God. And that life is possible because it is God's gift to us in Jesus, in that newborn babe lying in the manger. Jesus is our Saviour and our Lord: he guides us to heaven, to a life we can enjoy beyond the grave, the same life that we can enjoy here and now.

He teaches us, as he lies there a newborn babe in the manger, that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, just as he has given up everything that does not lead to us, and by us I mean all men and women no matter who or what they are. God does not give up on us and he will make any sacrifice in order to save us, because we really matter to him. He loves us as only God can: fully, unconditionally, eternally. To show us the depth of that love, he was conceived in the Virgin's womb and born in the stable at Bethlehem and, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger because there was no room at the inn. The God who made all things has no worldly ambition. His only ambition is to save us, redeem us and reveal himself to us as grace, truth and love.

Do you want to know what love is? Do you want to know who God is? Do you want to know who you are? We might fumble with the answers, for that is only natural, but in the newborn babe lying in the manger, God himself answers our questions and, indeed, every question there is, for he himself is the answer. But who is God? He is that newborn babe lying in the manger, the child in whom God's grace, his very essence, his being has been revealed: "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God."

God has done so much for us, everything he can. Now what are we prepared to do for him? Think of Mary and Joseph. Think of the ox and the ass. Think of the shepherds and the angels. Think of the star and the kings. Think what they did. How could we do less?

Lord Jesus, we kneel before you and adore. Through your birth tonight let us see God. Let us know him and love him. Help us to give up everything that does not lead to God and take from us all worldly ambition. Set us free from all wickedness and make us your very own. Amen.

My dear friends, on this holy night allow me to wish you all, on behalf of the monastic community, a very happy and holy Christmas. Like the shepherds in the Gospel, may you return home tonight filled with joy and may that joy be a real blessing for your families and friends. God bless you.