I read today that thieves had stolen the infant Jesus figure from three different church Nativity displays. Wow, I thought. Those were some chance taking thieves!
What must they have been thinking? Surely they weren't thinking beyond the moment of their thievery. Were they planning on selling it, or doing damage in some way to the Church and the faithful. Or was it all too common vandalism out of sheer anger at the world? I could even picture the thieves taking the figure home to remain close, and somehow comforting.
I like to picture that. In any case the persons who stole the baby Jesus figurine may have gotten a lot more than they bargained for.
Jesus says: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. "At hand." I wonder if those who took Jesus had read or even heard of Luke 17:21 or Matthew 3:2 or 3:17. However, there is the big picture symbolized by the plaster figure.
We are too often, myself included, caught up in "the pursuit of happiness". We think it's a private happiness: more money, bigger and better toys, all that material stuff which we think will bring us happiness. With so much suffering in the world the pursuit of personal happiness in things is a baby faith, that never really makes us happy. We coo and cuddle our baby faith and make much of the baby Jesus. And then, moments later, we too easily fall back into the trap of seeking power, success, money and control. But surprise. Things go wrong. We get sick, we die.
Richard Rohr, a priest who has written many books and a daily blog says: "God, it seems, want adult religion and a mature, free response from us." By that measure we're going to need to wipe the slate clean - be completely transformed. Read that RE FORMED. The thieves by the Grace of God may someday find their way beyond mere happiness to transformation and JOY. Joy is not the earthly thing we think it is. Joy is cosmic.
In today's reading of Malachi 3:1-4 we are assured that Joy will come, but that the transformation of our hearts and minds will come with a price. "See. I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly to his temple. (Note that Temple elsewhere in Scripture is defined as our bodies, minds and souls.) "The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight - indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But Who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?"
Tougher stuff yet: "He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and...he will purify."
Well! Do we think we have Jesus in hand, under our control? Would we seek to steal Jesus? Jesus may be hotter to handle than we thought. And God never leaves. Once touched by God, you can never let go.
--Ann Ahnemann 12/6/2015
