How do you feel? How are you all doing right now? What were you thinking as you listened to this evening’s Gospel and heard all those “strange” names? What’s going on in your minds right now?
Are you excited? Good! It’s Christmas!
We have been waiting a long time for this day, haven’t we? For some of us, it seems like forever; for others, this time has flown by. Maybe we’ve been waiting all year; maybe we’ve been waiting since we first heard Mariah Carey on November 1; maybe we’re just gotten around to cleaning and decorating the house this past weekend. Whatever the time frame, waiting is a regular part of our lives.
And, in fact, psychologists and neuroscientists tell us that anticipation is actually a good thing for us, mentally and physically. Studies have shown that , the endorphin rush from anticipating a pleasurable experience can often feel better than the actual experience itself, because our brains tend to idealize and build up the future event in our minds, leading to a heightened sense of excitement and pleasure during the anticipation phase. When we anticipate something positive, our brains release dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, which creates a feeling of excitement and anticipation. Moreover,having something to look forward to can significantly boost mood, motivation, and overall sense of well-being. I hope that you have had this experience in your lives.
Tonight, we come to the experience that we have been anticipating as a Church: the celebration of Christmas and the remembrance of the birth of Jesus. As I listen to that long list of Jesus’ ancestors, I think of the Christmas hymn, “O Holy Night,” as we sing, “Long lay the world in sin and error pining/ 'Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth/ A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices/ For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
Salvation. That is what Christmas is about; because now, God has acted in a real and definite way by being born as one of us to save us from sin and death. None of the holy (and not-so-holy) men and women in Jesus’ ancestry could have dreamed that God would save us in such a way. They could only anticipate. Even St. Peter was surprised to experience salvation in this way, as he tells the people, “From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.” The fact that Peter had met Jesus – the One whom everyone had been anticipating for so long – just blew his mind!
Friends, Christmas is the moment when God showed up – a moment that we are all waiting for but have no idea how wonderful it is. It’s something that can blow our mind – more than any other experience – an actual encounter with Jesus!
Years ago (I’m not sure if they do it anymore), when a team won the Super Bowl, there’s be a camera in the MVP’s face and a voice-over saying, “You just won the Super Bowl! What are you gonna do next?” As if there is something greater than winning the Super Bowl. The MVP, on cue, would respond, “I’m going to Disney World!” What could be better than winning the Super Bowl? A visit to Mickey Mouse!
It’s as if, even at those highest points in our lives, we still crave some sort of anticipation. Imagine if you have a trip to Disney World planned; wouldn’t you act differently? Wouldn’t little inconveniences not bother you as much, knowing that next week, you’d be riding the Pirates of the Caribbean? I know I do!
Now, imagine that you are about to meet Jesus. He’s waiting for you, even as you are waiting for Him. He wants to embrace you and bring meaning and light into your life – even if you cannot see it right now. Knowing that you are about to meet Him, don’t you think you would live your life differently? Wouldn’t you treat others with more compassion? Wouldn’t you put your life at the service of others for their good? Wouldn’t you want to turn from destructive thoughts and actions to embrace the peace that the Christ Child is bringing now?
Friends, you will meet Jesus! Here and now, in a very real way, Jesus comes to us and abides with us. The wait is over. The only thing we need to anticipate now is how He will work His wonders in us from now on. Christmas is about the presence of Christ in our world, and it is about our acknowledgement of His presence in us. Now, we must share that presence with others, because they are waiting too!
Merry Christmas!
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