Calvary Episcopal Church
Memphis, Tennessee
December 25, 2003
Christmas Day

Silence
The Rev. George S. Yandell

Gospel:John 1:1-14
(This sermon is also available in audio)

Silence- the backdrop against which the Word was, in the beginning.

Silence- the only reality in the infinite reaches of space.

Silence- the fullness of God’s presence, and the absence of speech and noise.

From the Silence of the infinite, the Word became flesh. Jesus was born to a human mother. God literally became human. The silence was broken. Can you even begin to imagine the consciousness of Mary as she became aware? She probably only knew the pain of her labor ending, and her first-born son at her breast. She must have marveled at this boy, as any mother wonders at her Son. But we are told that she was, in fact, one of her son’s disciples. She was present, by necessity, for his birth. She was present, by choice, at his death. For 34 years, the unfathomable, unknowable reaches of God’s infinity dwelled on earth.

The following message was delivered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio to the Praxis Peace Institute Conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia Sunday, June 9, 2002.

Spirit and Stardust

As one studies the images of the Eagle Nebula, brought back by the Hubble Telescope from that place in deep space where stars are born, one can imagine the interplay of cosmic forces across space and time, of matter and spirit dancing to the music of the spheres, atop an infinite sea of numbers.

Spirit merges with matter to sanctify the universe. Matter transcends to return to spirit. The interchangeability of matter and spirit means the starlit magic of the outermost life of our universe becomes the soul-light magic of the innermost life of our self. The energy of the stars becomes us. We become the energy of the stars. Stardust and spirit unite and we begin: One with the universe. Whole and holy. From one source, endless creative energy, bursting forth, kinetic, elemental. We, the earth, air, water and fire-source of nearly fifteen billion years of cosmic spiraling.

What does this mean for you and me? Especially for us Episcopalians, it means all creation has been transformed by God’s presence. Our emphasis on the material, concrete incarnation of God in Jesus has been called the peculiarly Anglican heresy. Heresy, in that we sometimes emphasize the human nature of Jesus at the expense of his divine, infinite nature. What it means, is that you and I are still breathing molecules of air that Jesus breathed. In the fullness of time, the intervening 2007 years since his birth are but a flash of light. But Jesus really was born, lived with Mary and Joseph, had brothers and sisters, preached the good news, died on the cross, all part of living into God within him.

There’s a curious statement in the gospel we may overlook.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.

It is you and me the gospel talks about. We did not, and do not know him. Until we see The Christ face to face, it is impossible to know him fully. But think about what draws you here this morning. Is it anything less than your desire to know Jesus, fully, face to face?

So here He is. Found in the company of those who love him most, as always. Jesus the Christ not only was the avenue for creation, but is present now, fully God with us. He lives among us. We witness his glory, the radiance of his being. The light that emanates from him is the purifying, soul-renewing light of God. So breath deep, take it in. The silence of all infinity embraces us in this moment. The light of God’s self shines in us. Jesus is born today. God lives with God’s people- God loves us into new life in Jesus Christ.

Copyright 2003 Calvary Episcopal Church

Gospel: John 1:1-14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. NRSV

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