Christmas Eve 2007
St. Dunstan's
December 24, 2006
The Rev. Patricia Templeton

"Huffing and Puffing"

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.”

Every year as Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth is read on this magical night, I see people in the congregation moving their lips, saying the ancient words along with the priest. For many who grew up in the church, this story and these words are deeply ingrained.

This summer I heard of a five-year-old boy who had memorized this story and was eager to demonstrate his accomplishment to a visitor.

My friend listened as the young boy proudly began and without hesitation recited the familiar words, going from that decree from the emperor to the journey to Bethlehem, to the birth of the baby, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.

With growing confidence, the child told of the angel appearing to the shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night, and announcing the good news of great joy to all people, the birth of the Messiah.

The sweet childish voice continued, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying….”

And then he paused, a panicked look on his face. There were a few long seconds of silence, and then, just as his mother was about to prompt him, the boy said, “No, no, don’t tell me, I remember now.”

And he triumphantly started up again, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying…

“And I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down!”

That story brought a laugh when I heard it last summer, but since then the young boy’s faux pas has haunted me because it seems to me that this child has unwittingly hit on one of the sad truths of the human condition.

Every Christmas the heavenly hosts come to proclaim the birth of the Messiah and God’s intent of peace for all people, and every year the huffing and puffing of the winds of war and injustice threaten to drown out the angels’ message.

But occasionally the heavenly hosts prevail. One such time was on this night 93 years ago, Christmas Eve 1914, five months into what was then the greatest war ever waged on this planet.

That night, British troops dug into their trenches across the battlefield from their enemy. Fighting had been fierce and unrelenting for days, but there was now a welcome momentary lull in the seemingly endless noise of battle.

Suddenly, words wafted across the frozen battlefield.

“Stille nacht, heilige nacht. Alles schlaft, einsam wacht.”

The words were unfamiliar, but the tune was unmistakable. A German soldier was serenading them with “Silent Night.”

As the last note drifted away, a lone German infantryman appeared, holding a small tree glowing with light.

In halting English, he called out, “Merry Christmas. We not shoot. You not shoot.”

At first there was no response. Then hesitantly, a few weary men climbed out of the trenches and stumbled into no man’s land. Soon thousands of troops streamed across the battlefield that was still littered with bodies from earlier fighting.

They sang Christmas carols, exchanged photographs of loved ones back home, shared rations, played soccer. They helped each other bury the dead and prayed and wept over the deaths of those who were officially their enemies.

Within hours, this unauthorized Christmas truce had spread across much of the 500-mile Western Front where more than a million men were encamped.

A participant in the truce later described it this way, “Soldiers embraced men they had been trying to kill a few short hours before. They agreed to warn each other if the top brass forced them to fire their weapons, and to aim high so they would not hit each other.”

Soldiers on both sides suspected that this spontaneous, unauthorized Christmas truce was not likely to be embraced by those in authority.

They were right. A historian of the era writes that the Christmas truce sent a shudder through the high command on either side.

“Here was disaster in the making – soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and refusing to fight. Generals on both sides declared this spontaneous peacemaking to be treasonous and subject to court martial.”

In some areas, soldiers on both sides resisted the command to resume fighting for almost a week. But by the new year, the huffing and puffing of the war machine was back in full throttle.

But for an all-too-brief moment, that spontaneous, unauthorized burst of peace gave us a glimpse of the world as we wish it could be, as God wishes it to be.

William Sloane Coffin, the chaplain at Yale University during the Vietnam War, and a fierce critic of that conflict, reminds us that “peace does not come rolling in on the wheels of inevitability.

“We can’t just wish for peace,” he says. “We have to will it, fight for it, suffer for it, demand it from our governments as if peace were God’s most cherished hope for humanity, as indeed it is.”

This blessed Christmas night the huffing and puffing of war once again thunders across the globe.

But if you listen closely and carefully, you can hear it.

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Readings

Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Luke 2:1-14 (KJV)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into their own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all people.”

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