Jesus does not come to judge us but to save us.  He wants to rescue us from all evil.  Hence, he gives himself for us.

John preaches that God is about to save, rescue, his people.  But he announces, too, that God is about to punish those who have not been true to him.

So then, just like the prophets of old, the Baptist preaches hope and judgment.  He sees the Messiah as a Savior and as one who finds wrongs to avenge them.  And, of course, we also see Jesus as a Savior.

But the baby boy Mary, a simple and dutiful woman of the country, has just given birth to.  How can he be one who avenges wrongs?  His place of birth is not the capital, Jerusalem, but small Bethlehem.  Not a palace but a shelter in bad weather for animals and for those who tend to them.  So, as things stand, the baby boy strikes fear into no one’s heart.

Maybe the boy in the manger draws pity out of those who look at him.  And those in the world who have power and know a lot may just look down upon him.  He is just one more of those they can leave behind, throw away, pass over or prey on.  But, no doubt, the little and simple folks are in awe and wonder before him.  For God reveals to such folks these things that he hides from those who have power and know a lot.

To let Jesus rescue us from all evil

Hence, the little and simple folks see the Savior in the baby boy who seems to be nothing (SV.EN VI:170).  They wait for God to bring about a new thing out of nothing. 

Besides, they get it.  That is to say, they grasp that baby boy in the manger is food for others.  For only as he gives himself for us, yes, that he gets to rescue us from all evil.

That is why to let Jesus save us, rescue us from all evil, means to love to the end like him.  For what ruins us and makes us slaves is our being selfish.  Our locking ourselves up in our own world, our looking out for just our own interests.  Selfish, we judge others rather than see to it that they get saved.  And as we do so, we go against, yes, the baby boy.

For he will say later, as an adult, that he comes not to judge but to save.  And he will do what he shall have said.  That is to say, he will not act as a messiah who finds wrongs to punish them.  Though he will seem so due to teachings still to come.  These, though, just highlight that, yes, he is gentle, yet firm also.

Lord Jesus, save us and rescue us from all evil.  Grant that we love as you do.  We shall thus give true witness to who you are:  the great light, Savior, Bearer of good tidings, the Father’s grace, kindness, last Word.  Let us not be of those who find wrongs to punish them.  Bitter, they just make things more bitter (see SV.EN I:526). 

25 December 2024
Nativity of the Lord
Night:  Is 9, 1-6; Tit 2, 11-14; Lk 2, 1-14//Dawn:  Is 62, 11-12; Tit 3, 4-7; Lk 2, 15-20//Day:  Is 52, 7-10; Heb 1, 1-6; Jn 1, 1-18