The Gospel of Materialism

The Nativity of the Lord – Dawn

Isaiah 62:11-12 / Psalm 97:1, 6, 11-12 / Titus 3:4-7 / Luke 2::15-20

The Gospel of Materialism

Heresies are the truth distorted. Heresies take what is true the wrong way. Our society has its own versions of heresy at Christmas time: materialism. 

These cultural heresies arise from a very real need. Without the profits of the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas many merchants would be in the red for the year and many of their employees would be without work. So stores promote their goods in hopes of being in the black at the end of the season. Their advertisements assail us constantly inviting us to indulge our desires and see our wants as needs. Most of us indulge to one degree or another.

But the truth is that the spirit of Christmas is in fact about materialism because it is about the Word made flesh. The incarnation is God’s materialism. As Paul’s letter to Titus puts it, it is about the kindness and generous love of God appearing. It is about mercy being made manifest.

The gospel passage from Luke holds the true message of Christmas. Angels promote the message to the shepherds who are drawn close to the savior who has drawn close to us. They in turn promote, proclaim what they have seen and heard and so captivate and amaze their audience. 

Perhaps if we could promote the real materialism of Christmas – the incarnation – the truth could be reclaimed and proclaimed again today.

• Call to mind (or hold in your hands) one of the Christmas gifts you have received. As you think of it, or look at it, remember who gave it to you. Consider what that person means to you and pray for him or her. 
• Consider the true message of Christmas, the glad tidings shared by angels and shepherds. How would you have told the shepherds if you were among the angels appearing to them? If you were one of the shepherds, what would you have said to the people of Bethlehem about the child you saw? What would be your Christmas commercial? How would you promote the birth of Jesus?