Christmas Day – C

December 25^th, AD 2009

Meadowvale Lutheran Church, Mississauga

Pastor Peter Lisinski

“CHRISTMAS, CONVERSION, AND COMMUNION”

One of the favourite Christmas stories of our culture is Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”.  We have the book; we have the CD soundtrack; we have the DVD of the cartoon version and watching it is a long-standing, annual Christmas tradition in our household.

Let me recap the story, briefly.

A mean-spirited, hermit-like character, the grouchy old Grinch who lives on a high mountain overlooking Whoville, plots to spoil Christmas for the Whos.  He sneaks into the village on Christmas Eve, disguised as Santa Claus, and steals all the trees and decorations, food and gifts from their homes.  But, instead of the sorrowful cries and complaints the Grinch expected to hear, the Whos down in Whoville carry on with their Christmas celebrations nonetheless!  As they joyfully gather, hand in hand, singing “Christmas Day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp,” the Grinch has a change of heart and brings back everything he had stolen.

It’s a classic story of conversion and repentance, calling us to turn from the material focus Christmas has become among us, and embrace, once more, the true meaning of the season – God’s promise of Emmanuel, God present with us and for us, now and always, in the darkness of a world full of sin, fear and death!

I suppose what makes that the obvious and overwhelming point of the story is our own deep longing for the simplicity of “Putting Christ back into Christmas” and taking the commercialism out of it – a longing I wonder whether we, in our consumerist culture, can truly even imagine anymore!

But even more amazing than the Grinch’s personal conversion and repentance is the response of the Whos!  Even though the Grinch had committed such a terrible crime against them, the Whos forgave him!  They welcomed him into their midst, and invited him to share their festive, communal banquet table!  The lonely and hostile one, the one on the outside looking in – the one it would be so easy to reject – was invited inside and given a place within a thankful community where life’s joy is found in sharing the abundance of God’s grace with one another, and with all people in need.

Of course, that vision of a world united in peace and good will seems far beyond the reach of this world of power and violence.  But in our Holy Communion around God’s Word and sacraments, we begin to imagine the world God promises.  In our Holy Communion of learning and companionship, we catch glimpses of it.  And, in our Holy Communion of daily works and service, we point to God’s vision of a redeemed and reconciled world – a world where Grinches and Whos receive the same fullness of grace – a world where all people have a promised place as precious children of God.