Christmas Homily 2021

Christmas Homily 2021 Some of you know that during the season of Advent I read Caryll Houselander’s spiritual classic, The Reed of God. She was challenged never do anything the Virgin Mary would not do. The problem was she could not imagine the Blessed Mother doing anything at all. Sometimes that is the case on Christmas. We fill Christmas with the warm and reassuring. I have believed in the Incarnation of Jesus so long it no longer provides me a challenge unless I ask a dangerous question: Lord, how do I live in a way that shows I believe in you? For the Word was made flesh. Divinity and humanity are forever linked in Jesus. And if Jesus assumed flesh, then the flesh cannot be all bad. When Jesus says that people must eat His flesh, that is what he means. The Greek word is sarx, flesh. It is why so many left. Jesus was talking crazy talk. At the same time, Jesus is the Divine Son of God, the Second person of the Blessed Trinity. We are not only material but possess an immortal soul. Our flesh needs to be directed in a proper way, a way that leads to holiness.