“You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22).

Why are we talking about being hated the day after Christmas? Because Jesus, this baby whose birth we just celebrated is “the light that shines in the darkness” (Jn 1:5). Jesus is the Love that exposes hatred.

Jesus did not just come into the world as light to a world of darkness, he came to each and every individual person then and now to reveal the truth of those dark places within our own hearts, minds, and the very depth of our being. Yet many of us turn away or reject the light. The intimacy of what his light and love reveal within us, we often are not ready to face. Yet this baby invites us to be healed. When we are open to his healing and come to an openness to receive the gift of Jesus in our life, our natural response is to want to share the gift. But as we begin to share, let us do so through invitation and not imposition. As we in our woundedness said no to the healer, we need to be understanding of those who may not yet be ready to receive the gift of the baby Jesus.

Just as Jesus was rejected, so too will we be who embrace his message, then live and speak it. We will be labeled crazy, out of step, simple minded, and worse, yet we are to endure opening our being, our whole self each day to the transformative mercy, love, and forgiveness of Jesus and so reflect that to others, even those who persecute us.

Change, maturation, and growth is not easy. That is why we are called disciples. We are to be disciplined and to persevere. But we need to remember that our redemption does not come from our own doing or willing it to be so, our restoration and transformation comes first and foremost from an invitation to receive the blessing of Jesus, an invitation to receive the healing salve of his love, mercy, and forgiveness. May we be willing to be healed from our bias, prejudice, hatred, and selfishness. May we be willing to step out of our comfort zone and with courage be more loving, merciful, and forgiving with our family, friends, and enemies.

Christmas is not just a day, it is not just a season, Christmas is a way of allowing the baby Jesus to transform our lives. When we are tempted with impatience, call on the name of Jesus and take a few deep breaths. Be open instead to receive his patience that we may be present to the need of another. When we are tempted to judge, may we see the baby Jesus in the manger, weak, vulnerable and in need, so to see the one we are about to judge with understanding, mercy, and a love that wills their good. When we are tempted to disagree, let us visualize ourselves kneeling before the Christ child as we surrender our will, our ego, so to share our point of view, but allow the other to do the same. May we be able to disagree while at the same time respect the dignity of the person that we converse with.

May each day going forward be a new beginning committed to serving Jesus, as well as seeing Jesus in one other. Let us persevere in the love, mercy, and forgiveness that Jesus has given us. Let us endure to the end!

Photo: Crèche from St Augustine parish

Link for today’s Mass readings for Tuesday, December 26, 2017:

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/122617.cfm