Merry Christmas!
May baby Jesus’ grace and peace be with you and all your families.
Christmas is the beginning of our salvation. It initiated with the birth of a baby.
When we describe a birth, there is a word “줄탁동시” (pecking at the same time). The eggs move a little when chicks position themselves before hatching. A chick and mom peck at the same time to help break the shell. You can sense the eagerness of both mom and the chick. Mom’s desire to bring out the chick from the darkness into the light is more intense. The chick that has been waiting to hatch from the darkness experiences euphoria as the shell breaks just as seeing the stars in the night.
A Korean poet, Jungrok Lee, describes the event like this:
Mom’s beak
Where it touches
Stars rise…
A mother’s prayer, parents’ prayers are always dedicated to their children.
When the children are in trouble their prayers become more anxious.
Mother’s prayer is like a continuous pecking that tries to break out her children from the darkness. Just as the poem recites, each pecking enables stars to rise so they shine middle of the night and giving them hope.
The reading from Isaiah delivers a light and hope this way:
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone.” (Isaiah 9:1)
God our father continuously pecks for His people. He sent numerous prophets in the Old Testament to invite us to salvation. As the time of salvation near, He sent angels to Zachariah, Mary, and Joseph.
God’s continuous pecking enables stars to rise: “For a child has been born for us, a son has been given to us.” (Isaiah 9:5) The government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called “Prince of Peace.”
Surprisingly what symbolizes this baby is a manger. The highest is referring to the lowest in a trough where animals eat from. The good news of Christmas is shared with the poorest shepherds who tend their flock even at night.
He came to peck and free the poor and marginalized from their darkness. Christmas gives light and hope to those who are walking in the darkness.
Christmas is the beginning of our salvation. The salvation is a journey of pecking. Only through God’s continuous calling and our diligent response, we can continue to walk the path of salvation.
Today’s Titus reading 2:11-12 says: “For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world.”
We thank God’s invitation to light through Christmas and in response we need to enthusiastically walk toward the path of salvation.
We pray that we are completely filled with baby Jesus’ grace and peace.
Let us meditate for a moment.