Christmas Vigil Reflection
About a week ago, as I read the readings for daily Eucharist, I was struck with the number of references to justice and peace:
“Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.” Ps 72:7
The righteous shoot shall be named “The Lord our justice.” Jer. 23: 5-6
And today’s gospel, telling us that God’s compassion will guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:79
We’ve sung those words or variations of them all throughout Advent
This evening, we sang the response: “This day true peace has come down to us from heaven.” We wish each day that this was a true statement for every country and person in our world.
Yet - we look at our world today and see so much injustice and lack of peace. And we wonder WHY we can’t change this or make it right. It can be a fearful time for us, at least it is for me. But we must remember - it is God who brings about this justice and peace. God who does wondrous deeds. God whose glory fills the whole earth – not only at this special Feast of the birth of Jesus, but all through the year. But as in ages past, with Mary and Joseph, God works through each of us.
Mary was fearful of what the angel Gabriel said to her – how could she possibly have a child right now, since she hadn’t yet known a man? But after she was told by the angel – “do not be afraid” because nothing is impossible with God, she gave her YES.
Joseph was fearful of what would happen to Mary if he didn’t accept her pregnancy, until he heard the words of the angel saying to him, “Do not be afraid.” And he took her into his home. He said YES.
We all end up in tight spots at times – facing something we don’t want to happen, or we can’t think about facing because it just seems so foreign or unknown to us.
As Joseph exercised compassion to make the situation with Mary work, as he had been instructed, we too must sometimes be compassionate, in order to bring about a good ending to a situation, even if compassion has to counter what might have been a wrong. Think of the person from whom something was stolen – who because of compassion forgives the person who stole it because their need was greater. And when we are compassionate, everything turns around – things right themselves, the world becomes a more caring place.
We are called today to do that – to stand for justice and be compassionate in the face of the mistreatment of immigrants, or of current citizens who are being targeted because of their appearance, which may be different from yours or mine.
Joseph and Mary welcomed the child Jesus, though neither could fully explain not only how God gave them this child, but why! Mary had been told he will be God’s son. Well, she was a faithful Hebrew woman, and all children were children of God weren’t they? Why would this child be different? Because he would be the Messiah she was told. Can we imagine how difficult that must have been for her to comprehend?
John the Baptist proclaimed: He will be the long-awaited Lord; he will bring about the kingdom for which they had longed for centuries!
Yet – what happened first? Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had to flee – they had to become immigrants in another land, just to survive. How close in reality that is to what is happening in our country today! People abandoned by their own nation flee from poverty, and from violence perpetrated by their governments; or from lack of work which would allow them to provide for their family. Yet, they discover they are not welcome here in our country of wealth. Yes, poverty exists here too and could be eliminated. We know we are being called in all of this today, to reach out by our voices, our wealth, our prayer especially, to help alleviate these issues.
We are part of the kingdom that God established, which began in the hearts of the Jewish nation, long before the birth of Jesus. With his birth however, it became a broader kingdom – one that existed for ALL people, for ALL time, for-EVER!
It was a kingdom that was born in Israel during Herod’s reign of fear. Jesus never worried about that as he grew older. His mission was to bring this kingdom to the people of Israel, and ultimately to the world. And he did! We know it appeared on the surface as a failure, with his death. Yet today, Christianity is the largest religion in the world!
It spread by the people. That is our calling – to share the love of Christ with the world – all people, of all faiths, or all skin tones, or languages, or nationalities, in so many forms. In whatever ways we can.
Christmas celebrates the time of Jesus’ birth. It is the epitome of HOPE for all of us, for all the world – that Joy and Love and Peace can happen if we open our hearts and share those blessings with others. That’s how they will spread. That’s how Christmas – the birth of Jesus - will always be remembered.
Let us be a gift for others at this Christmastime and beyond – let us be the gift for them, whether for one, or for many, because Jesus is for ALL the world.
Merry Christmas to ALL!
Susan Hutchens, OSB - December 24th, 2025