The Mission to Misfits

Gospel: Luke 2: 15-20

The mission of Jesus from the very beginning is directed to the poor, the outcast, the foreigner, and the outsider.  Consider the manger scenes in our homes and churches.  Mary and Joseph themselves are outcasts, finding no place of shelter in what is supposed to be their place of origin.  Jesus will instead be born on the margins in a lowly stable out in the elements.  The infant and his parents find themselves temporarily homeless, soon to be refugees fleeing to another land.

Next on the scene are the shepherds, once a noble profession but now regarded as dirty, unclean, ignorant people who now exist on the margins of society.  They come to the nativity scene at the invitation of an angel.  Similarly, the mysterious Magi from another land find themselves led by a star to the manger, offering their gifts to the long awaited Messiah and his parents.  The entire scene is composed of outsiders, marginalized, and rejected people - the very ones to whom Jesus will minister and care for in his adult life.

While all this is happening, the engines of institutional religion and state power conspire to put Jesus to death from the very beginning.  They are outwitted by the misfits who are continually led by divine direction to safe harbors until the danger has passed.  If we are looking for the authentic path of religion in our life, let us look to identify with the misfits and outcasts, finding guidance from a star and our dreams to places of sanctuary as we make our way to the reign of God.  That is the message of Christmas.