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Life Ways A Baby Put Us Back In Shape Christmas is here again. It is the most anxiously awaited of the Church's liturgical re-runs. Every year, as any good producer, the Church schedules again her most popular programs: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, etc. How many times we have rejoiced in this repeated ceremony. Always there is that quiet but real tug on our heartstrings. The young mother, the tiny baby, the poor stable, the rough straw, the attendant animals--a touching story. Kings pursue the newborn, one to kill him, others to honor him. Angels sing the first Christmas carol announcing the greatest event of human history to the simplest of men. It is nice to dwell on the charm of this scene, but what does it say to us moderns? Men and women today are much more in tune with strength than sweetness. The sentiments of Christmas are only seasonal, not to interfere with our national "fitness fantasy." Even Christmas Day finds the exercise "junkies" jogging, peddling, paddling along to that different drum. Of course, exercise and fitness are important health factors. This, in fact, is precisely the message of the liturgical re-reruns: Jesus came to help us get back in shape. What does Luke tell us? "When the strong man guards his own palace fully armed his possessions are safe; but when someone stronger than he comes he'll conquer him, take away the armor on which he relied, and they'll distribute his spoils" (11:22-23, AHG). Before the first Christmas, we, all humans, were held captive by the devil's strong-arm tactics. The human family had let itself go down. Faith was not exercised; virtue was minimized. Sin made souls obese. And, worse than couch potatoes, we sunk into lethargy. So that first Christmas God placed the Gift of gifts under the human family tree. The baby in the manger was the first tone-up Present to help humanity get back in shape. Not only did God send us a model of what renewed humanity would be like, he also sent the means to accomplish this longed for renewal. The model and means are one and the same, Jesus Christ our Lord. When we say that "the Word became flesh," we mean it very literally. The Son of God became human, one of us, the God Man. What a perfect solution to the problems of human weakness. Our God took on our humanity, entering the world as a newborn child. Our brother, Jesus Christ, in his humanity--our humanity--reigns eternally in the kingdom of his Father. How much more effective for our fitness than all our body building techniques. Jesus was born into our time, into our weakness and humility, while remaining the eternal and all-powerful One. This one infant accomplished what a whole race failed to do; by coming to dwell with us, becoming forever ours, he made us a new people. Our human nature is renewed. We are adopted by God and have become members of his family. But, shall we sit back now and "exercise" no more? No, we must maintain our present condition with the same care taken by an athlete. To remain renewed, members of God's family, we must exercise the power given us by Jesus. This power enables us to resist evil and avoid sin, to live out the message of the Gospel in love. For the brothers and sisters of Christ, Christmas is not an event of long ago. He became one with us; we are identified with him. As St. Paul puts it: "It is no longer I who am living, but Christ lives in me." This is the exchange of gifts which characterizes our Christmas. This is the peace of this special day. We open our hearts to God's Spirit, we accept the Child who comes to save us. For a moment this Christmas, lay aside your own efforts at physical fitness and embrace the Lord who is our strength. Are you strong enough to hug the Baby?
Copyright © 1999-2003, Daughters of St. Paul. All Rights Reserved.
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