If you were able to read it, in our second Story of Christmas, The Little Fir-Tree, that I provided in last weekends bulletin, we have the story of a fir-tree that at first, felt unworthy. His unworthiness is not veiled or implied, it is very obvious. He wanted to be taller. A rabbit, passed by, and jumped right by it, without any notice of it at all. When the woodcutters would cut down other trees, even smaller and younger trees, for Christmas, the little fir-tree was always overlooked. Using todays more sophisticated and politically correct terminology, I guess we could say that this little fir-tree had issues: self-esteem issues. And when you listen to what St. John the Baptist said in the context of todays Gospel from St. Mark, it sounds just like something that our little fir-tree might say. I am not worthy, St. John said. Did you ever wonder, when you hear him say that, if St. John the Baptist had self-esteem issues too? I mean, think about it. There is strong evidence that he mightve. After all, he wasnt the snappiest or most dapper of dressers. He wore camels hair, as if he didnt think he was worthy of anything better. A simple leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey, as if even his diet was meant as self-punishment for such unworthiness. If a 21st century psychologist or psychiatrist were available, they probably would have diagnosed St. John with low self-esteem. And although I am not either one of those, and would be the last person to offer a diagnosis on anyones mental or emotional state, I do know the Scriptures, and based on them alone, would definitively and definitely say that they would be wrong. St. John did not suffer from low self-esteem. Not at all. Not a bit. In fact, quite the contrary. St. John simply knew that he was a means to an end. He knew his place and his role in the bigger scheme of salvation. His words, One mightier than I is coming after me, confirm it. In other Gospel accounts, the wording is a little different, but they all confirm the same thing. A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me. I must decrease while He must increase. Doesnt sound like there is any bitterness or anger in St. John. He simply knows where he stands. A low man on the totem pole. And what St. John the Baptist knew, the little fir-tree didnt. Now, this is just a theory, mind you. Again, I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist, nor do I claim to know more about their professions than they, but perhaps there is truth in saying that low self-esteem is the result of a prior and previously exalted sense of self. Perhaps, a person who thinks much of themselves, and doesnt receive from others what they feel they deserve, suffers from low self-esteem. It sounds to me like the little fir-tree felt that everything was about him, and considered himself to be the center of the universe, and that the world should revolve around him. And when reality hit, when he felt shorter or ignored or passed over, his self-esteem plummeted. But thats only the first half of our story. A short time before Christmas . . . the fir-tree was the first to fall. Finally, he was chosen to be someones Christmas tree. At last! He began to be noticed. He was even admired. We only want one, and this is the prettiest. And the little fir-tree was placed in a large, beautiful apartment with pictures and china vases and silken sofas and a great deal of money. The fir-tree was adorned and decorated and ornamented with colored paper and sweetmeats and fruits and red, blue, and white tapers on its branches. And on the top, a glittering star. At his feet, brightly and beautifully wrapped packages were placed and children danced around him - rockin around the Christmas tree. To understand why all of this change happened - why from a lonely little fir-tree in the midst of a very expansive forest to being the only tree in the house and the centerpiece of everyones attention - I need to point out when it happened. It happened at Christmas time. Now, stay with me. Try to follow my line of thinking and reasoning and logic. I dont want to lose you. First, a rhetorical question. Everyone already knows the answer. This is just for the sake of making a point. But . . . what is it we celebrate at Christmas time? What, or better yet, who is Christmas? A few years back, I gave, as a pre-Christmas gift to you, a button with the now very familiar words Jesus is the Reason for the Season. And that expression is bantered around a lot this time of year, especially since the secular society is moving further and further away from the real meaning of Christmas. Whose name is contained within the word for our holiday celebration? Christ. Who and what are we celebrating? Jesus Christ. And only when He is, becomes, and remains a part of the picture, is there a change in us. Only through Him are we found worthy. Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. Thats what happened to the little fir-tree. Once it was Christmas, once Christ became a part of his experience and life, everything changed. He felt the light of Christ, Christs light shone down on him, and he felt worthy. This little fir-tree as well as St. John the Baptist remind us of who and where we are and what we have the potential to be. Last weekend I reminded you, as if you need to be, that were sinners. I didnt say it. Scripture does. Wolves. Filthy rags. And unworthy. God created the human race and Scripture tells us that He found us very good. But when sin entered the world and stained our souls, we were alienated and exiled from Him. He couldnt look at us. Perfect in every way, God couldnt look upon the face of any kind of imperfection. Its what your parents did or do sometimes when you disobey them. Mom has just made a fresh batch of warm, soft, gooey, chocolate chip cookies, the sweet and delicious smell of them infiltrates and fills the kitchen and the house, but she orders you to leave them alone, not to touch them or eat them, until they cool and to not spoil your appetite before dinner. Sound familiar? Eve saw the tree in the middle of the Garden, that it was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom, and wanted to eat of its fruit, but God said, From that tree, you shall not eat. When Mom turns her back, you sneak a cookie. You disobey her just like Adam and Eve disobeyed God. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. And when Mom discovers what youve done, she sends you to your room. I dont even want to look at you right now. Go to your room and think about what youve done. Genesis 3:23-24, The Lord . . . banished them from the Garden of Eden . . . and stationed the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword, to guard the way . . . So, He kicked us out of the Garden of Eden, and placed an angel with a flaming sword at the entrance so that we wouldnt try and couldnt get back in. We are sinners, separated from God. In that beautiful song, Ten Thousand Angels Cried, I played it for you as part of last Christmas Midnight Mass, it contains these words. When Jesus was hanging and dying on the Cross for our sins, when Jesus, who knew no sin became sin for us, the song says, God turned His head away. He couldnt stand the sight. Sin is so far from what He intended for us to be, and so far away from His divine perfection, that were actually unworthy of Him, unworthy to even stand in His presence, unworthy of His divine countenance. We all know that were less than we were meant to be. Like the fir-tree, we want to be taller, we want to be noticed, and appreciated. Like St. John the Baptist said, I am not worthy. And thats the unfortunate truth. But neither should we wallow and lament in our unworthiness. It shouldnt get the best of us, not if we know that Christ, whose coming were about to celebrate; not when we remember that He came among us - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - to show us what we could be again, and to sacrifice Himself for our sins, and to return us to our originally created state. The Christmas celebration is an annual reminder that the people who have lived in darkness, who might for whatever reason feel unworthy, have seen a great light, the light of Jesus Christ in their lives again. And are, through Him, found worthy again. This is another opportunity for me to throw my all time favorite Bible passage at you again, and to use it again for your spiritual well being. Philippians 2:6 and following, Though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped, - Jesus is God but did not exalt Himself for His divinity - Rather, He emptied Himself. He humbled Himself. Jesus took the low spot. And Because of this, God greatly exalted Him. Because of His humility, God raised Him to the highest position. It sounds a lot like the fir-tree. When it was at its lowest emotional point, only then was he raised up. It sounds a lot like St. John the Baptist. One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of His sandals. St. John humbled himself before Jesus and hes been elevated to the status of saint. This, Christmas time, is a great time to remind ourselves of St. Matthew 23:12, Those who exalt themselves will be humbled. Those who humble themselves will be exalted. Those who accept their unworthiness will be made worthy through Him who is to come this Christmas.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 14:21:41 +0000