An Infant Christ for a Great Faith
Rev. Dr. George Hollingshead

          Since this Sunday is officially Epiphany which in the general church calendar allows us to celebrate, ever so briefly, the Christ growing up from infancy to his presentation to the Gentiles at his baptism. Interestingly, the Scriptures give us no information about what happened to the holy family in Egypt, their refuge in their flight from Bethlehem, how long they stayed there or even when they left Egypt. The Gospels of Mark and John have no birth narratives or anything about the holy family. Essentially their account of Jesus' life and ministry essentially begins with Jesus' baptism by John in the River Jordon. Matthew says that when an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph telling him that Herod, from whom they fled, had died, the holy family returned to Nazareth. Nothing more is said in Matthew until Jesus as a grown man appears for baptism.

          Only in the Gospel of Luke are there bits and pieces of information about Jesus as a child. The Luken account is much more interested in presenting Jesus as a Jew and to the Jews and the fulfilling of the normal Jewish rites and rituals. Thus, there is a very brief statement about Jesus being circumcised but gives no details about where and how it was done or even how old he was.

          Then there is the story in Luke Chapter Two of Jesus being presented in the Temple at Jerusalem. Apparently the holy family was reestablished in Nazareth at this point and then made a long trip to Jerusalem and to the Temple for a special service of dedication. Since Jesus was the first born to the family the family offered a required sacrifice of "a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons and "to do for him what was customary under the law."

          On one trip to the Temple when Jesus was twelve years old to celebrate the Passover the parents of our Lord become concerned about Jesus whereabouts on their return to Nazareth. Joseph and Mary fear he is lost and after three days they find him in the Temple in conversation with the religious leaders. And that is all.

          Thus we have in our minds the story of the infant Jesus and the sketchy tales of his youth and then suddenly Jesus is a grown person who presents himself to John the Baptist for John to baptize him. The infant child grew to become a great teacher, healer, and challenger of the some injustices of his society.

          The wonderful portraits that we love of the infant that famous painters have depicted - Jesus with a gold nimbus and a romantic radiance-remain in our minds even as our faith is challenged by our understanding of our Lord as an adult. The manger scene with the helpless and homeless child wrapped in a few cloths - swaddling cloths - takes us quickly to the view of a strong young man with a great mission.

          The infant Christ child, as any infant, is dependent on others to care for him, will be the one who as an adult says "Any one who would follow me, them take up their cross and follow me." The infant holy and infant lowly, becomes the one who carries his own cross to Calvary.

          In between the infant Christ and the Christ of the cross we see him with a growing mission, a growing group of followers, a growing teaching program and method, more and more people wanting to touch him, to hear him and to follow him. All of that growth in witness, that growing mission could well be the same should be for us. What that means is that as the Christ grows from infancy to crucifixion we too should be growing in our faith and in our ability to participate in Christ's mission. Having admitted that he is the Lord of our lives then we need to be sure that our faith grows along with his challenging mission.

          We can begin with a homeless infant. Homeless as when Joseph and Mary leave for Bethlehem and have difficulty finding a place to stay -- homeless in Bethlehem, and then off to Egypt and homeless again, perhaps. The scriptures are silent as to what happens to Mary and Joseph. Joseph completely drops out of the picture for some unknown reason. Did he leave Mary, the mother of our Lord, to fen for herself? If so that may have forced Jesus to find his own way. At one point Jesus reports that he has no place to lay his head. Never the less, Jesus does identify with the homeless. While in his ministry he does respond to many who call out to him. Many of them to go up to them and heals them.

          Jesus compassion for the homeless really challenges our faith to match his concern for the homeless in our society. It is right that we too reach out them. For us in the suburbs we have to dispel the idea that the homeless are just in the city and it is the city's problem. We don's see many homeless lying out on the pavement by they indeed are here and they are hidden. Some will live and sleep in their cars. I helped start a ministry to the homeless. It began as just as a few churches and a synagogue, but over the years it surely has grown. It is called the Interfaith Hospitality Network of the Main Line. At first the nay-sayers thought that we would be busing people out from city center. Later we proved to them that there are many homeless in the county and many of them are families with included father, mothers and children. I have met many of them and have found many to be sensitive, caring and bright people. I met one homeless man who was a poet. Others I have found do some serious reading. Others want to sit and talk about worldwide issues. The children often are wanting to go to their own schools and wanting to be there regularly. Surely any one who has an interest in serving the homeless they will be reaching out to them as Christ would. And there are way that that can happen.

          It is right indeed that Christians in the name of our Lord reach out to those who are in need. I have been amazed with the caring and the compassion that Duke and June Fitts of this congregation have shown in their becoming foster parents to over 62 children for over 30 years. Duke tells me that it started way back when he was on the road so much with his work with G.E. and away from home. After having their own two children June wanted to be mother to more children. Now look what has happened over the years. It's amazing. These foster children now have become grown adults and have their own children living wonderful lives often because of the care that they received. Duke and June surely must have warm feelings when they receive contacts from them long after they have left the Fitts' home. By the way they would be more than happy to talk with anyone who has an interest to serving like they are.

          There are many other who serve quietly behind the scenes. Serving with their time and money. Our support of the children at the Children's Village brings joys to a great number of children. These gifts go far beyond those living on the campus there in Rosemont. The number of children touched by the Village every year through their many programs could be well beyond 50 or 60,000!

          All the ministries that are done here are quite fine. The question we have to ask now is what more can be done. As our faith grows so can our mission grow. What more can be done? What is next? How can we reach out in love? We are at the start of a new year. Perhaps this is the time to think about new ways of serving, new ways of giving. Growing in our faith and in our mission.

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Last modified: September 28, 2008