It is with the poor and the lowly, as the carol “Once in Royal David’s City” reminds us, that divinity breaks forth and is born into our world as a symbol of hope. Christmas speaks of homelessness and messy, cold, painful and rejected places; those we are tempted to avoid at all costs. Yet it is in these places that a new becoming happens, a new humanity emerges; the Emmanuel (God with us) is born. As we embrace Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus in the Christmas narratives, so we too are challenged to embrace such poor and lowly places in our own families, our community and the world.
For it is a costly kind of love that is born at Christmas. It is a love particularly for those who are excluded, rejected and marginalised – a love for all who are in need of healing and reconciliation. At this time I am mindful of the apparently hopeless plight of many asylum seekers globally whose humanity and needs are too often ignored or pushed to one side or labelled “someone else’s responsibility”. I am aware of food and water shortages in the UNHCR refugee camps in Jordan and Turkey and of the millions of displaced people in the Syrian humanitarian crisis. I think of our government’s slashing of its international aid budgets.
I am mindful of the homeless and displaced in our city of Sydney with the reduction of crisis services. I am aware of young families living in their cars, unable to afford accommodation, and of those who pitch tents in our parks for shelter. This is a constant reminder that we as a city have not looked after our poor and lowly well. I am also mindful of the many who feel trapped as a consequence of abusive power, as evidenced in the high rates of domestic violence, and of the continued exploitation and degradation of the environment.
Christmas reminds us that no divine value is to be found in the exploitations of the powerful and their devotees who are driven by that same lust for power and significance. Divine value is found in a new humanity, born in the image of the humble, vulnerable and homeless baby Jesus. A new humanity that is for the inclusion of the poor and lowly, with hope, good news and salvation. A new humanity of a deep belonging to each other in this creation that is open and generous to all.
It is no coincidence that Jesus’ early followers were poor and marginalised and considered outcasts and sinners by the exploitive powers of that society and by the religious leaders of the day. As we stop and gather with family and friends this Christmas, I would challenge us all to take a moment to participate in this new humanity of Christ by giving the poor and lowly divine and real value in our actions. May this be a small way of celebrating Christmas truthfully – by bringing a little peace on earth and good will to all.
Merry Christmas.
