The Rev. Sam Hook
St. Margaret's Episcopal Church & School
Isaiah 11:1-10 | Psalm 72 | Romans 15:4-13 | Matthew 3:1-12
The title for today's sermon is "Guess who is coming for Christmas?" During this Advent Season as you heard in today's scriptures, all are talking about preparing for the one who is to come. The one who is to come for us is the Lord Jesus who comes on Christmas Day. Many of you will be here on Christmas Eve to celebrate that great arrival. Robert Raines, a popular Christian writer in the 70's, tells a story of a woman in her mid 60's who was in one of his study groups. A beautiful woman, always supportive of everyone as they shared their struggles and trials of trying to live out their faith of the Gospel. One night in a meeting she said, "I need to tell you a little bit more about who I am. I need to share something with you. I was brought up in foster care and lived in an orphanage. I was not a very attractive child and each Sunday potential parents would come and look us over. I wanted a Mommy and Daddy so bad. One Sunday this couple said they liked me and took me home. I was so excited because I finally had the Mommy and Daddy that I had always dreamed of. I loved having a home. Everything was wonderful and one day I came home from school and there at the bottom of the stairs was my suitcase and coat. I was told I was not wanted anymore. This happened six times before I was 18 years old. I did not think anyone loved me or cared for me but I found out God did. Since my mid 20's I have found a home with God. He always welcomes me and never tells me it is time to go."
This Christ that we are looking for and planning and preparing for would somehow contact Fr. Certain and say to him that he will be there on this Sunday. Now there would be thousands of satellite trucks around here. The entire Coachella Valley would be gridlocked. People would be walking from the interstate to be here. You think there were a lot of folks here for St. Margaret's Day! Brothers and Sisters let me tell you, you don't know anything yet. There would be the curious, the faithful, the unbelievers. There would be all sorts of people gathered here and Fr. Certain would be preaching and the service will be going on and suddenly there is a presence at the back. Everyone knows who it is and HE comes forward and stops by a widow and puts his hand on her and says, "I was there when your husband died. I have not forgotten you." He goes to a young couple with a newborn baby and stops and picks up the baby and says, "I was there when you were born as a child of God's." He goes up to another person and says, "I was there in that fox hole with you. I was there when you did not know whether you were going to live or die and never knew if you would return home again." To another one He stops and says, "I was there when your marriage fell apart." And to another one and says, "I know your trials." He even says, "I was with you in the Oval Office when the whole weight of the world was on your shoulders." He stops and says to Fr. Certain, "I was with you when you had that gun put to your head." He walks up to the front and turns around and says to us all, "Go and make disciples of all the nations. Lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age." And then he was gone. His presence still lingers.
This God we are preparing to come for on Christmas Day and be born in the manger and take on our human package form and know about hunger and thirst and dying. Yann Martel writes this book of a young man who is brought up in India named Pi. The title is simply "Life of Pi." This young Hindu boy who becomes interested in Christianity and he goes to a Catholic Priest in India as he explores the Christian faith. He does not quite understand this human God who comes to us on Christmas. Because he says, "The Hindu Gods can do much more greater things then this God can. Vishnu who becomes reincarnated as a dwarf comes to Bali the demon King and asked if he could have all the land that he could cover in three steps. Bali laughed at this little runt thinking what could he cover in three steps? So Vishnu becomes his cosmic self again and with one step he covers the earth and with the second he covers the heavens and with the third step he kicks Bali into the underworld. "That's a God," this kid says. "Your God was poor and could not do any tricks. This God that you have got when needing transportation took a donkey. His sandals barely covered from the hot sand and he died on the cross with moans in three hours. Why this God?" The Catholic Priest said, "Look, this God that we are preparing for asks very simple things for us and that is to follow in his footsteps. For some that task is too difficult and for others it's too costly. Still for others get started but never finish and for those of us who try each day to walk in those footsteps we know our own short comings and failures." We know that we are forgiven by a loving God that invites us home.
This God coming for Christmas won't be found in the mall or the most expensive stores on El Paseo. This God won't be found in the rounds of parties and events that we go to and put on that smile that looks like we are having a good time. He won't be found in any gift given or received. This God calls us to be his children. We have accepted that call here at St. Margaret's for we are the body of Christ.
We are in a campaign right now to prepare the budget for next year. In that budget we have various ministries that we have been committed to that require financial support. One of them is to rescue the unloved. Another one is to comfort those who struggle in life from birth to death with all the joys and trials that come with that. Another is to tell the story of this God who does not do tricks. That calls us to be his sons and daughters. I hope you will give careful thought to how you would want to participate and respond to this God that comes at Christmas. My prayers that all of you will give careful and prayerful thought to your response to the God who comes, who welcomes us home, comforts us when we are troubled and has promised us everlasting life. Amen.