In the Beginning, The Reverend David R. Williams, Christmas Eve--Year C--December 25, 2005

“In the beginning was the Word…” I have heard it said that these six words serve as a summary of the entire scripture story. “In the beginning was the Word.”

We might say, “The Bible in six words.” Listen to a few other six-word stories. Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words: “For sale: baby shoes, never used.”

Another by writer Michael Cunningham: “My nemesis is dead. Now what?”

“Poison; meditation; skiing: ants – nothing worked.” Edward Albee

“All her life: half a house.” Jamie O’Neill

“He remembered something that never happened.” A. M. Homes

In the beginning was the Word. The Word was God. A magnificent story.

Dateline: Baghdad: St. George’s Church, a parish of 800 Anglicans, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Roman Catholics, Evangelicals, and Syrian Orthodox is surrounded by bomb barricades and razor wire. Armed guards, twenty-four hours a day. The church has been bombed and attacked. Six weeks ago all of the lay leaders were kidnapped and have never been heard from again.

Despite this, according to the Bishop of this region of the Middle East, the congregation has grown into one of the largest Christian Churches in Iraq.

Saturday night at St. George’s is time for the Alpha course. People arrive at the prefabricated chapel surrounded by concrete barriers, remove their body armor and helmets and settle down to a night of worship and teaching.

“We pray together in Arabic and English – discussing and praying for our missing people at the American and British Embassies,” writes a local Priest of the church. “The prevailing outlook is grim. Yet amidst the terrible reality in Iraq we still know we have a good God. In the midst of the constant tragedy our Jesus becomes more real. In quiet times in Baghdad God still speaks. The God of Baghdad is very, very, very big, indeed, bigger than I have known him in any other place I have served.”

Known by some as the most dangerous parish in the world, where people take off their body armor to worship the more real Jesus in the midst of constant tragedy, the people of St. George’s, Baghdad celebrate Jesus’ arrival on this dark night--just as we do.

In the beginning was the Word. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome the light.

John tells us that if we want to find the light that is the Word-- that is God-- we need not waste time looking for the light. If we want to find light we must go into the darkness. The promise of stepping into the threatening darkness is that it is there that the light that is the word--that is God--hides, abides, waits.
The light discovered always surprises us. The light may be unexpected, but the light does appear – in the darkness.

In the beginning was the Word.

When we think about the Christmas story, the first picture that comes to mind is of the simple manger scene: Joseph, Mary, the Shepherds and baby Jesus.

We tell the story with this image, yet we know from our own life journeys, that the God Become Present is not so peaceful and serene. Yes, God becomes present, but not always in a way we would expect or even wish. Just maybe God’s Christmas will be revealed in a way other than the infant wrapped in swaddling cloths. Maybe the Word we know as God is revealed through some other miracle.

Out of our darkness comes an unexpected light. And we are amazed.

Last weekend at Holy Comforter, we held two funerals, a wedding and a pageant.

All events have mystery, an element of darkness and high expectation. The funeral services were for Dot Scott and Al Curtis. The wedding celebration was for Leigh Ross and Joe Forehand. The Christmas pageant was led as a gift from our young people of the Church.

Each powerful event has brought into our lives a new ray of light. The radiance of Dot Scott and Al Curtis will forever shine in our hearts. In joy, we will continue to watch the growth of Leigh, Joe and our young people. All the unknowns of tomorrow are before our young married folks and our pageant children: troubling and challenging times, times of loss, moments of joy – miraculous surprises – flashes of wonder, amazement and miracle.

The Christmas story is God’s story. God is made known on earth even in the hour of disappointment, doubt, loss and death. Even in the darkest of life mysteries, we know God’s “Alleluia” presence, God’s humble infant presence, and God’s incredible power.

In the beginning was the Word. The light always surprises. Stepping into the darkness, we know the Word that is God the Light is present.

Our son and daughter-in-law, Jeremy and Abra, experienced a loss a couple of weeks ago. After almost five months of pregnancy, Abra lost her baby – a dream denied, a child unborn, a loss. Darkness.
Where is the joyous light for a husband and wife planning, expecting and anticipating new life in the world? How do they-- or anyone feeling despair and emptiness—know the miracle of this Christmas?
Listen to the words of a thank you e-mail letter from Abra and Jeremy to family and friends – truly a Christmas gift for those of us receiving it:

A message to everyone who shared words of encouragement, support and love with us this week We wanted to say a resounding thank you. Your kindness has uplifted us when we needed it most and shone light where there was none. We also sympathize with the special pain our family and friends must feel; your own sense of loss and broken heart, coupled with an empathetic wish to support us. For the extent to which you share our pain, we are sad and wish, with you, that it were otherwise.

The light shines in the darkness….

We all have experienced the difficulty of finding the right words to express such deep compassion, but we thank you for your kind, wise and gentle choices. Many of you have expressed simply that we are in your thoughts, and this is perhaps most important so we know we are not alone. We appreciate this and also hope you can spare a warm thought or prayer of the one who is departed.

The light shines in the darkness….

We do not expect to emerge from this experience unchanged and hope you will be patient as we discover our own healing methods over time.

The light shines in the darkness...

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh. In the midst of tragedy our Jesus becomes more real.

Christmas is God’s surprise, not ours. Stepping into the questions, the mystery, the darkness, we come to know the Word that is God, that is the Light, is truly there

The story is magnificent!

Amen.