Reuben's Sermon for the 1st. Sunday of Christmas. Sunday, 30th. December 2001 Anno Domini. (cycle A):

MORNING MASS
0800hrs. and 0930hrs at Saint George's - Cullercoats (Diocese of Newcastle) - England.

December 30, 2001 Cycle A Christmas 1.

Morning Masses:

FIRST READING (morning Mass)

Isaiah 63.7­9

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
7 I will recount the gracious deeds of the LORD, the praiseworthy acts of the LORD, because of all that the LORD has done for us, and the great favour to the house of Israel that he has shown them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, 'Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely';
9 and he became their saviour in all their distress. It was no messenger or angel but his presence that saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Psalm 148 (morning Mass)

RR Praise, O praise the name of the Lord.

1 Alleluia! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all you angels of his; praise him, all his host.
3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. RR
4 Praise him, heaven of heavens, and you waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded and they were created.
6 He made them stand fast for ever and ever; he gave them a law which shall not pass away. RR
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea-monsters and all deeps;
8 Fire and hail, snow and fog, tempestuous wind, doing his will;
9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars; RR
10 Wild beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged birds;
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the world;
12 Young men and maidens, old and young together. RR
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name only is exalted, his splendour is over earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up strength for his people and praise for all his loyal servants, the children of Israel, a people who are near him. Alleluia! RR

SECOND READING (morning Mass)

Hebrews 2.10­18

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.
10 It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying,
12 'I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.'
13 And again, 'I will put my trust in him.' And again, 'Here am I and the children whom God has given me.'
14 Since the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.
16 For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham.
17 Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.
18 Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

GOSPEL (morning Mass)

Matthew 2.13­23

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
13 After the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.'
14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt,
15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, 'Out of Egypt I have called my son.'
16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
18 'A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled,
because they are no more.'
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,
20 'Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead.'
21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee.
23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, 'He will be called a Nazorean.'

The Hymns at the 0930 service:

Introit/Procession:
No: 395 Of the Father's love begotten.

Gradual:
No: 169a God is love: His the care.

Offertory:
No: 542 What child is this, who laid to rest, on Mary's lap is sleeping.

Communion:
No: 320a Love came down at Christmas.

Post Communion:
No: 283 Joy to the world!.

Reuben's Theme: "Jesus is our Saviour in our distress."

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Christmas is a joyous time of year.
We celebrate the nativity of our Lord and Saviour.
The birth of the Jesus... ...Salvation for the world.
Through Jesus we can all be saved.
Peace on earth... ...good will to all mankind.
Grand isn't it.
So, where is all this peace on earth?
Where is all this goodwill to all mankind?
What's gone wrong?

In our first reading today, the prophet Isaiah recounts the gracious deeds and praiseworthy acts of God, because of all that He has done for us and the great favour to the house of Israel that He has shown them according to His mercy, according to the abundance of His steadfast love.
"Surely they are my people," He said, "children who will not deal falsely." and He became their saviour in all their distress.
Jesus is our Saviour in our distress.
Isaiah goes on to say it was no messenger, or angel, but His presence that saved them; in His love and pity He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Isaiah's prophecy of the birth of Jesus tells how we are saved; not by a messenger or angel, but by the very presence of God, as a human, here on earth!
Jesus is our Saviour in our distress.
In our second reading, Paul tells us how it is fitting that God, the creator of all things and judge of all mankind, in bringing many children to glory should make the pioneer of their salvation, Jesus, perfect through sufferings.
For Jesus and God's children (us) all have one Father.
Jesus calls us His brothers and sisters, saying to God, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you."
Putting His trust in God the Father, Jesus on earth with the 'children' God has given Him.
Being flesh and blood, Jesus shared all our feelings, and emotions.
The Creator of everything that is, became a human being.
God born as a baby, like you and me.
God growing up through childhood, just like us.
God working and playing, happy and sad.
He lived as a human being, and He died a most horrible death.
And by that death He destroyed the one who has power of death, that is the devil, and freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.
God became a human being for all of us.
That is why he had to be exactly like us, His brothers and sisters.
Because God was tested by what He suffered, He is able to help those who are being tested.
Jesus is our Saviour in our distress.

In our Gospel reading for today, we look ahead to after the wise men had been (for us they arrive next Sunday on the 13th. day of Christmas).
News of the birth of our Lord and Saviour, had become known to people other than Jews. Jesus is to be the saviour of all mankind (and don't you forget it).
Anyway, the wise men gone, Joseph is warned, by God, of Herod's plans to destroy Jesus, and that he must flee to Egypt with Jesus and Mary, staying there until God tells them it is safe.
Like last week, Joseph says YES to God.
Being the head and protector of this 'Holy Family', there is nothing that Joseph would not do for his wife and this most Holy Child.
There is nothing Joseph would not do for God!
...and off they go to Egypt.
Meanwhile, Herod (this is Herod the Great who ruled from 40BC until about two years after Jesus was born)...
Herod, true to form, reacts the same savage way he had ruled for so many years.
In an attempt to kill the "New-Born King" and be certain he had no rivals for his kingdom, Herod, totally misunderstanding the situation, sends soldiers out to Bethlehem and the surrounding area.
Systematically, and by force, the soldiers searched everywhere, taking all the babies and children aged two or less and killing them.
Words cannot describe the horror, fear, devastation and utter sorrow that must have swept through land about 2000 years ago.
'A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.'
When we look at the death and destruction around the world.
When we look at the brutality that is carried out in the name of a religion.
When we look at the events of 11th. September.
When we look at the hatred and killing in the Holy Land.
We also see... ...the tears and anguish of the mothers.
Every human being alive today is a child to their mother and father.
Every human being alive today is a child of God.
We must learn to see the child in the face of everyone we meet.
All mankind must learn to see the 'child' in everyone they encounter.
I know this may not go down too well with some people around the world who read my sermons on the internet...
But...
I know that there is only one way we will ever get 'peace and goodwill' to all mankind in this world today.
I know the only one way that all wars will cease in this world today.
I know the only one way the world and all mankind will be saved....
When everyone (and I really mean everyone)
When all mankind truly turns to Jesus Christ.
Jesus - the one, and the only, Saviour of all mankind.
Until that day, we will continue to see wars, brutality, death, destruction, slaughter, misery and such great sorrows as the children of Adam & Eve, God's children, continue to die.
It is up to us to put a stop to this.
Spread the word - the "Good News" - to everyone you meet!
Tell the world - Jesus is Lord.
Tell the world - Our saviour is born.
Tell the world - Turn to Christ the only way to Salvation.
Through Jesus we can all be saved.
Peace on earth... ...good will to all mankind.
...and one day... ...sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Until then, 'A voice is heard in the world today, wailing and loud lamentation, Eve weeping for her children; she refuses to be consoled, because they are no more.'

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.