GOD CAME INTO THE WORLD TO OFFER HOPE, STABILITY, PEACE

 

GOD CAME INTO THE WORLD TO OFFER HOPE, STABILITY, PEACE Fr Luke A Veronis Presbytera Faith and I were driving to church 10 days ago, just going straight on Dudley Oxford Road when unexpectedly a car turned right into the side of our car and flipped our car on its side. One moment we’re driving along, and the next moment I’m up in the air, with airbags in my face. I look down to see Faith on the side, with her window smashed but the airbags saving her from hitting her head on the street. One of the icons of the Panayia, which I keep in my car, was right next to her head. The Panayia was watching over her and protected us from any injury! I’ve been thanking God continuously over these past 10 days, reflecting on how quickly life can change and how blessed we are! A sudden accident. An unwanted illness. Some other tragedy can change life instantly. Three weeks ago a school teacher was driving down 395 and a drunk driver pulls onto the highway going the wrong direction, smashing into her head on and killing both drivers. Then last Saturday, a 21 year old fall out of a pick up truck in Charlton and dies at such a young age. I don’t mean to begin a Christmas sermon with depressing news of tragedy and death, and yet, this is where the “good news of great joy” of Christmas enters into our reality. Life is uncertain and none of us know what tomorrow will bring. This uncertainty too often creates anxiety and stress, worry and fear for many people. Yet, Christmas reminds us that we can be certain about one thing – God Almighty, who entered the world and became one of us, IS WITH US, and He came to offer hope, stability and peace for all of us! Look around the world and see wars and world crises. There is uncertainty and fear all around us. This doesn’t change throughout history. But now, exponential changes are occurring in our lifetime, especially with AI (Artificial Intelligence), and we can’t even imagine what life will look like decades from now. This uncertainty creates stress and anxiety, yet Christmas has an answer. The Creator of the entire universe came into this world 2000 years ago to be with us, and to offer us hope, stability and peace in the midst of an uncertain, dark world. No matter how our life and the world around us change, our Lord Jesus Christ remains the unchanging anchor of hope, stability and peace in stressful times. God came into the world to offer His Divine Love in the midst of a society filled with division and hatred. We are becoming more and more polarized and separated from one another, yet Jesus came and taught us to love one another, to love the least of our neighbors, to love even our enemies. Our Lord’s teaching to turn the other cheek, to forgive 70 x 7, and to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful reveal to us His Divine Love. In the midst of division and hatred, Jesus Christ acts as an anchor of hope, stability and peace in uncertain times. God came into the world to offer peace in the midst of the stress and anxiety of the world. Christ reminds us that “in the world we will have tribulation and trial but take courage for I have overcome the world… Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled and neither let them be afraid.” The Prince of Peace is born today and He offers us His “peace that passes all understanding.” In the midst of anxiety and stress, Jesus Christ acts as an anchor of hope, stability and peace in uncertain times. God came into the world to offer meaning and purpose in the midst of confusion and superficiality. Our society is lost in so many ways and people are confused about who they are, who God is, and what life is all about. This is why we see so much idolatry rising up today, in the form of entertainment and celebrities, sports and athletes, politics and demagogues, global corporations and greedy CEOs. In the midst of all this confusion, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; I am the Bread of Life; I am the Living Water, I am the Resurrection and Life, I AM! Jesus Christ is the Absolute Truth of life. “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden,” He says, “and I will give you rest.” In the midst of confusion, Jesus Christ acts as an anchor of hope, stability, and peace in uncertain times. God came into the world to offer stability in the midst of constant change and chaos. With artificial intelligence, change is happening at such a fast, exponential rate that we can’t even imagine what life will be like 20 or 30 years from now. Yet, Jesus said “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Eternal One.” No matter how much chaos ensues from the radical changes in our world, He remains the same. In Him we find a rock of stability and refuge of hope in our Lord Jesus. In this midst of change and chaos, Jesus Christ acts as our anchor of hope, stability, and peace in uncertain times. God came into the world to help us navigate life in the midst of any fear and despair. We read about the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. We get bombarded daily on social media with the craziness of our world. I recently talked with a parent who lamented for the future of his children, worrying about the world they are growing up in. He told me it’s hard to not give in to the despair of the world. Yet, Jesus entered into the darkness of this fallen world and shone forth His light. He experienced the evil and darkness of the world yet came out victorious by defeating it. His entrance into the world at Christmas is just the beginning of a story that will include overcoming three days in the tomb, defeating death itself! If this victorious God is with us, who can be against us. If we allow God to be born anew in us, there is nothing to fear and we always can maintain hope. In this midst of fear and despair, Jesus Christ acts as our anchor of hope, stability and peace in uncertain times. Christmas proclaims the good news of great joy that God came into the world so that He would always be with us. Through His Incarnation, God became one of us, entering into this world as Jesus Christ, in order to experience our fallen world and then conquer it. He tasted all the darkness, fear, and uncertainty that we see around us today, yet He came away showing us there is another path, a different way to life. Life is uncertain and none of us know what tomorrow will bring. This uncertainty too often creates anxiety and stress, worry and fear for many people. Yet, Christmas reminds us that if we allow Christ to be born in us, to live in us every day, to inspire our worldview and guide us how to live everyday, then we have nothing to fear, for this good news of great joy lives in the depths of our lives! We face each day with unconquerable hope, with a sense of stability, and with eternal peace dwelling richly in our hearts. Christ is Born! Glorify Him!