Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 25 December 2022, by Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day was Luke 2:1-14.

“Didn’t you see me?”

 

Merry Christmas! May I wish you all a loving and peaceful Christmas.

 

Thank you, sisters and brothers, from OBIC and KUC for presenting such a meaningful drama. Thank you, sisters, from UCCP and KUC’s three choirs – KUC Singers, the Harambe Choir and the Named For God Junior Choir. Your beautiful dance and voices have transformed “Martin the Clopper” become a musical, made it richer and more attractive.

 

Let us go back to the musical. What have impressed you most by the musical that you’ve just watched?  

 

How does the story of Martin inspire us to reflect on the meaning of Christmas?

 

1.     Martin prepared a gift to Jesus as his birthday present. When we are coming to church service, having parties and gifts to celebrate Christmas, have you ever thought of preparing a gift to Jesus? If you have not thought of it, it is ok. Think of it now.

 

2.     Christmas is a season people giving each other presents to show gratitude.  Martin prepared for Jesus a pair of shoes that was from his masterpiece – very precious. He was poor and yet he presented the best that he had. What is our best and precious gift that we are willing to offer to God? Our money, our time, our talents, or simply our heart or our prayerful presence?

 

3.     Interestingly Martin did not keep the shoes until he thought he met Jesus. He gave the shoes to the baby who needed it.  It reflected that Martin was a very compassionate and kind man.  Martin has a very good heart. 

 

4.     The most profound of the story to me is this question at the end of the drama -  “didn’t you see me?” While Martin was so sad and disappointed for Jesus did not visit him, the images of the scavenger, the widow and her boy appeared. They all bear the image of Jesus. Jesus had in fact visited Martin. Jesus was revealing himself in different form. Jesus said if we did any loving acts to a little brother, we did it to him.  I remembered also St. Mother Theresa shared once she saw Jesus when she was taking care of the poor who were dying. 

 

5.     Jesus Christ, the incarnate God bears the image of God, full of glory! God is powerful and creative. On earth nothing can limit God. No fix image or form can contain him. 

 

6.     In the biblical story, Jesus revealed himself as a fragile baby born in a poor family. In the drama of Martin the Clopper, Jesus revealed himself as a scavenger, widow and little boy. Jesus was always staying with the little, the weak, the poor and the vulnerable.

 

7.     Some people who resist suffering and pain, poverty and life adversities may not be happy and ask – why a God reveals himself in such a weak and terrible image? Many people in the world would be very likely to prefer a God that is strong and powerful to save the world by putting an end to war and violence, discrimination and persecution, manipulation and injustice with a magic stick, to bring an instant change. Would you think of the same?

 

8.     I am sorry to say Jesus Christ is different. What God offers through Christ to the world is he insists to be with people in the midst of illness and death, separation and division, disappointment and sadness….Jesus refuses to offer an easy way. That is the reason he came to our human world in a baby form born in a humble manger and ended his earthly life on the cross. The salvation Jesus gives is his presence, his warmth, his compassionate love and kindness to those who are in need. From the drama, I saw it how it was brought by Martin’s loving act. From our Church I saw it with our selfless efforts to provide space to shelter the migrants who had contracted Covid in the 5^th Wave, to share food and medicines with refugees who have been sick, to call and make donation for people in Pakistan and India suffering from the deadly floods.     

 

9.     When Jesus asked Martin, “Didn’t you see me?” Martin the Clopper, without his knowing he has met God. Jesus had visited him in an ordinary and extra-ordinary way. When Martin shared his love and gave what he has with the needed, Jesus was right there. 

 

10.  Where there’s love, there is God. Martin the Clopper did not only meet Jesus through the scavenger, the widow and the child. In a more remarkable way, Martin himself has revealed Jesus in his life. I saw Jesus in Martin when he lived out the core of love in the people in need.

 

11.  Today Jesus asked us, “Didn’t you see me?” My dear sisters and brothers, can we do something and live a life to let people see Jesus in us?

 

12.  Christmas is not just about receiving; it is about giving as God has first given us his life with deep love.  

 

13.  “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (Luke 2:14) Amen!