Two Babies

Sermon Notes

Father John started his sermon relaying a story from the former Soviet Union in 1994…they were trying to re-connect with world morals and ethics and as part of the effort were hosting a tour of American Christians. The Americans visited a large orphanage and shared the story of Jesus’ birth with the children. To help the kids learn the lessons of the Nativity, they had each of the children build a paper manger and then discuss what they built. When they came to a Misha, a six-year old, he shared his manger and relayed the story exactly as he had been taught, but then the teacher noted that there were two babies in the manger and asked Misha who the other baby was:

“When Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did.

"But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?" And Jesus told me, "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me." "So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him---for always."

Father John pointed out that today we all celebrate Christmas, but unlike Misha, we can’t seem to get it right. He noted that in John’s Gospel that John the apostle only refers to John the Baptist as just “John.” He does not address Jesus’ baptism and only focuses on his role as a witness…this is our job too. No matter what we are doing, we should be witnesses…so why aren’t we?

God just isn’t on most of our radars. For many of us, God = Amazon.com. Also, we are consumed with our busyness. Father John noted that Americans are so busy, on average, we give up two days of vacation a year…we seem to think that our jobs can’t live without us. Our busyness keeps us from seeing what we should see. God wants us to be happy, so why aren’t we?

It is because our focus is on our things and distracted by our busy lives. Fr. John said we can realize God’s wish for us by changing our focus and making our whole lives prayers. This should be the season for preparing ourselves and finding the manger. We must want to be like Misha and seek to be with the Baby...if we can make Him our focus, he will be with us “for always.”

posted by m white