THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD Sermon Presented at St. Paul’s Church 1 Christmas, John 1:1-18, Year B December 27, 2020 Thack Dyson
In Fyodor Dostoyevsky's classic novel, The Brothers Karamazov, there is a parable or story within a story called “The Grand Inquisitor.” It is set in Seville, Spain sixteen centuries after Jesus’ crucifixion. It is there that Jesus has returned to earth.
The period coincides with the Spanish Inquisition. Just the day prior to the appearance of
Jesus, nearly a hundred heretics had been burned at the stake in an auto-de-fe, the name of which carries the meaning of the ritual: “an act of faith.” It was the time when heretics, Jews and
Protestants were publicly sentenced for their perceived offenses against the Catholic church. The
Church has been carrying out these punishments under the sentencing orders handed by the
Grand Inquisitor. On this particular occasion, the sentencing was carried out in the presence of the cardinals of the church, the king of Spain and his court and the entire population of Seville.
In the story, Jesus made his appearance the next day. He came softly, subtly, and yet, strange to say, those who saw him seemed to know him. He came to announce peace and to proclaim the good news. He came to teach and to cure; he came to bring the light. As he walked by the cathedral, a funeral procession for a little seven-year-old girl was just beginning to form.
He heard the sobs and pleas of the girl's mother. Moved with compassion he asked the pall bearers of the funeral casket to halt. He touched the girl and she was raised to life once again.
The Grand Inquisitor saw this and immediately recognized the healer as Jesus. Such displays of power were not to be tolerated. Such action might lead to genuine faith which would only be dashed in the cruelty of the world. Jesus was thrown into prison as a common criminal.
In custody he was questioned by the Grand Inquisitor. He asked, “Why have you come? We
1 don't need you here!” Jesus made no response. The story continues with the Grand Inquisitor launching into a very long monologue with no interruption by his prisoner. During this monologue, the key points seem to be those which confirm the Inquisitor’s belief that the Pope— and by extension the entire hierarchy of the Catholic Church—have taken over from Jesus the mantle of responsibility for the rest of the people. The people live under the delusion that this gives them freedom. In reality, they are merely slaves to the church. This lack of free will is a good thing because free will never made anyone happy.
The Inquisitor goes on to expand on this view by saying Jesus made a mistake when he was tempted in the wilderness by the satan. While it is certainly true that man does not live by bread alone, it is also true that men who have no bread are too hungry to have free will. The
Church recognized this mistake and have learned how to control the masses by feeding them bread and security. Since salvation almost always fails as the result of a weak faith, the security provided by the Church has filled in the gap that was missing from the religion of Jesus. Of such devotion from the masses are empires built and so the return of Jesus is simply too dangerous.
The Inquisitor then tells Jesus, “There is no longer a need to believe in you and what you bring. Go away, you are not welcome here.” This time the prisoner did answer, not with words, but with actions. He embraced the inquisitor, kissed him, and walked out of the prison. He moved on to offer himself to another group at another time in history.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky's famous tale “The Grand Inquisitor” in his equally remarkable book, The Brothers Karamazov, describes the rejection of Christ who has come to bring light, goodness, and peace to a world that was hard, brutal and who needs him, but refuses to accept his presence. In a similar way today's Gospel reading during this Christmas season speaks of what Jesus brought to the world and how he was rejected.
2 The author of John's Gospel, most probably writing almost one generation after the
Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written, had greater perspective on the events of Jesus' life.
Thus, he opens his gospel with some very profound and important Christian theology about
Jesus. Today’s passage is known as “The Prologue.” The Johannine author speaks of Jesus' preexistence with the Father and his work in creation. We are further told that Jesus is the light (a favorite image of John's) which no darkness can overcome. John the Baptist is introduced as the precursor of the Lord, the one who came to testify to the light.
The gospel then addresses the central message of the Christmas season, namely that Jesus came, but was rejected by the very people to whom he was sent. The author tells us that the world he created with the Father did not know him and the people did not accept him. We are all very familiar with Jesus' rejection. A review of the Hebrew Scriptures, however, allows us possibly to better understand why Jesus, who claimed to be the Son of God and Messiah, was rejected, for, in the minds of most Jews of Jesus' day, the life he led, his message, and certainly his death by crucifixion all worked against his claims. Yet, the evangelist goes on to say that those who did receive him and believed in his name were given the power to become children of
God. Thus the Christmas message continues to echo — God's Son was sent to the human race so that we could unite ourselves in a close and unbreakable bond with the Lord.
Yet, if we look at our world and our personal lives, have we done any better than the people of Seville who missed Jesus in Dostoyevsky's novel, or any better than the people of
Jesus' day?
We look at our world and wonder if the Prince of Peace has made any progress in his struggle to find acceptance in our world. Thousands starve in our world each day and millions go hungry because the light is not accepted. War and international terrorism are daily events in the
3 news. We live in fear because the light has been rejected. Ethnic conflict in many lands, too often in the name of religion, leads to violence and murder. Violence eclipses peace in our streets.
Racial tensions continue unabated in the United States. Minorities and other people who live on the margins of society never can seem to move toward the center. All of this happens because the light has been rejected.
So, where is the good news? Where is the comfort and salvation of God? What effect has
Christ's message had on the world? What has changed in 2,000 years?
With all the problems and bad news, we may wonder what significance Jesus' birth in
Bethlehem has for us today. You might be surprised but the answer is totally up to us. An event which happened 2,000 years ago must be applied today in order to find relevance and meaning!
If we do nothing to make Jesus' presence meaningful for our world, then like the Grand
Inquisitor, Christ's rejection will continue.
Saint St. Teresa of Ávila summed it up best when she wrote, “Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ looks with compassion for the world. Christ has no body on earth but yours.”1 As her prayer indicates we are the presence of Christ. We are the light, the hope, the bearers of good news. If Jesus' birth means something more than a long holiday and a break from the day-to-day grind, then it must take root and blossom forth in what we say and do. As Saint Paul says, we are the Body of
Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:27). We have a responsibility to pass on the gifts Jesus brings to others.
We begin with ourselves and then move to others.
What can we do to make sure the light is accepted, that Jesus' incarnation makes a difference in our world? The light of Christ is like the light from a lamp that goes out in all
1 https://catholic-link.org/quotes/st-teresa-of-avila-quote-christ-has-no-body-but-yours/
4 directions, without discrimination. We must do all in our power to promote the light and assure that we as individuals and society place no obstacles in the path of the light. Too often, though unconsciously, we reject Christ or set up barriers against him. In our families, when we reject even one of our members, for whatever reason, we reject Christ, for as Paul says, “WE are the
Body of Christ.” Consequently, our actions may very well deny the presence of Jesus. At our jobs we must be certain that our day-to-day work ethic is consistent with Jesus’ message. We must be fair and work for justice, not only for ourselves and our own betterment, but for the whole community of faith. Christ came to claim all who are willing to listen. Hence, we must be equally open to all whom we encounter. We often reject the light by our inattention to those who need us. We turn our heads with a blind eye or deaf ear to the cries of the poor and the marginalized in our society. We must see everyone as our sisters and brothers. Bringing the light of Christ to others is our Christian call. It should therefore be a principal action of our lives.
Yet, as we know, in order to share the light, we must first open the door and allow Christ to enter, permeate our being, and become one with us. To that end, let’s open our hearts today to fully receive Christ. Let us continue to welcome the newborn Prince of Peace. Let us allow the miracle of Jesus' birth to change us forever!
In a moment, we will celebrate the baptism of THOMAS EDWARD QUINN. As part of our Baptism Covenant we are asked, “Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?” (p. 305, BCP). The only evidence of Christ’s presence young Thomas will ever know is through the people around him. That includes you and me. We are the light, the hope, and the bearers of good news. If Jesus' birth means something more than a holiday, then it must take root and blossom forth through us in what we say and do so that Thomas will know
Christ is indeed with us. AMEN
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