December 27, 2016

 John 1:12-13

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

Children of God

Children of God are known by the Love who lives in them, the Love who moves them beyond themselves so that they shine with great beauty, the Great Beauty God is.

Buses and cars left refugee camps near Mosul, Iraq, Christmas Day. They traveled to a bombed out town and a desecrated church surrounded by crumbling concrete and razor wire.

Outside, the cross had been broken down by ISIS. Inside, statues had been shot up and defaced, the head of one blasted off.

Guards with automatic weapons secured the door as people entered, lit candles and made it a holy space again. They sang ancient chants generations have sung there for more than 1000 years.

In the back, several U.S. service men lit candles and celebrated Christmas, listening to hymns of which they likely didn’t understand a single word. But it didn’t matter.

Their hearts were one with every syllable of those songs and the souls who sang them.

Unquenchable hope carried all of them beyond their fears to come hold candles against the darkness and know, in themselves, the Light no darkness can extinguish.

They are children of God. The flame of hope burns in their depths, awakened by the Love who becomes flesh in Christ … and in them.

I watched them, and Christmas came to my heart. Once more. I knew: These are my brothers and my sisters. We are made truly one by the Love who burns in us, living always … in hope.

Thank you.

Pr. David L. Miller