Christmas is not canceled…or stolen.

In my opinion, Jim Carry wins the award for “Best Grinch.” His facial expressions and body contortions put new life into the wrinkly/old, cranky, green one who lives on Crumpit mountain, high above Whoville. The Whos live in a wonderfully harmonious, cheerful utopian village where everyone celebrates Christmas with great fanfare. The Whos in Whoville would likely win “Best Celebrators of Christmas,” if there were such a prize.

As you probably already know, The Grinch tries to steal Christmas. He sneaks into town before Christmas day and, with the help of his scrawny dog Max, removes all the presents, decorations, and even the food for feasting. He fully expects to ruin their cheery celebrations on Christmas morning, and he is delighted.

But then in the early morning he hears a sound rising over the snow. It started in low, then it started to grow…

He stared down at Who-ville!

The Grinch popped his eyes!

Then he shook!

What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,

Was singing! Without any presents at all.

He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming!

IT CAME!

Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

Stood puzzled and puzzling: How could it be so?

It came without ribbons! It came without tags!

It came without packages, boxes, or bags!

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!

Turns out that Christmas is about more than he imagined. Mr. Grinch discovers that despite his best efforts, Christmas has not been canceled. We remember this night, in the singing of our songs and the telling of this great birth story, that despite the best efforts of 2020 to steal our hope and joy, that Christmas has not been canceled. As I said in my first “pandemic sermon,” in March, and as Holy Trinity has publicized and practiced ever since, church is not canceled. Love is not canceled. Singing, celebrating, hoping, caring and Christmas…not canceled.

But this year IS different—more than any Christmas we can remember. We mourn our loved ones who have died as well as the 300,000+ whom we have never met. Friends and neighbors, even some of us gathered tonight for worship, have lost jobs and income. We’ve lost opportunities to learn and work and play in person. We have canceled travel plans and activities that bring joy to our lives—sports, theatre, and socializing with friends. It is enough to make US feel like Grinch or Scrooge this Christmastime.

Remember though, that Grinch could not cancel the Christmas spirit, even though he tried really hard; he couldn’t steal Christmas. It came just the same. How could it be so? It came without ribbons boxes or bags! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!

Well, it does mean a whole lot more. Christmas is more than our decorations and gifts, our traditions, and gatherings. When so much feels stolen from us this Christmas, we come together through the gift of technology, to hear once again the promise of Christmas, that Emmanuel, God with us, was born for us. We remember on this holy night that God, the Word, was birthed into the world through the body of a human mother; with all the blood, sweat and tears that accompanied our own births. God comes to live among us, to live a messy, difficult life with and for us.

And that’s good news, especially in a time when there seems to be only bad news. God comes to us whether we are prepared or not, whether our lives are beautiful and our families harmonious, whether we are successful or not.

Usually, we hear this good news in our candlelit church, gazing at the tall bright trees, red poinsettias, an empty manger, with the commotion of dressed up children who are anxious to open presents. Tonight, we hear the good news in our homes, maybe with a little less commotion and not quite so dressed up. But God, Emmanuel, is with us, no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in this Christmas Eve. God comes to us who ache for God’s presence, even if we’re not feeling the Christmas spirit this year.

May the Holy One give us the grace to remember that we cannot create Christmas, we can only receive it. Just as the Grinch could not stop it, we can’t make it happen either. Because we learn over and over again that Christmas is more than boxes and tags and ribbons and bows. More than traditions and celebrations. God enters the world and lives among us this night, and for all our days, full of grace and truth. Full of love and promise. For this mystery, and this act of grace upon grace, we give thanks this holy night and throughout the hope-filled New Year.