Presents and Presence

Gospel: John 1: 1-18

At Christmas we give and receive gifts.  We take joy both in receiving gifts and in the joy of others when they too receive a gift.  There is great sorrow when a gift is given and rejected by another.  In today's Gospel reading we see both this joy and sorrow at the gift of Jesus given to the world: the sorrow of those who rejected his presence, and the joy of those who receive the gift and through it become children of God and heirs of heaven.

Jesus came to dwell among us.  He went about from place to place healing people of their infirmities, liberating them from the demons that oppress them, and nourishing them at table.  He ate with sinners, those who were his opponents, even those who would deny and betray him.  He rejected violence, ordering his followers to put away the sword, and rebuking those who would call down fire upon a town that rejected them.  We are simply to depart and shake the dust from our feet when rejected by one town.

For all this we executed Jesus in the most cruel way known to humanity.  We rejected his present and sought to blot out his presence.  Yet, both his presence and the present he offers remains.  We still have the ability to become children of God by following his example in our lives.  For it is to the peacemakers that the title children of God is given, and it is to the ministry of peace and reconciliation that we are called as followers of the Lord Jesus.  Today is a day to accept his presents and his presence.