Terry Paul Choyce
Christmas Eve, 2006, Brunswick Street United Church
I really like my last name, Choyce. For me it is a constant reminder that I have the power to choose how to live my life. I always have a choice about what I will do, who I will be with, how I will behave, and what I will believe. You, of course, also have this constant power. God gave us the gift of free will, and with that we can have a great deal of control over our lives. Yes, things do happen that are beyond our control, but even then we have the choice how to react to them.
When the angel of the Lord came to Mary, she chose to be the mother of God's child. In Luke 1:38 Mary says "May it be with me as you have said." This was a very difficult decision for her to make, because she was engaged, but not married, so there would be severe ramifications for her to be pregnant before her wedding. In those times women were stoned to death for this. Plus she was only a young girl, and she was from a poor family. I can only imagine how overwhelming it must have been for her to choose to accept this child of God.
When Joseph learned of Mary's pregnancy, he too had a very difficult decision to make. Should he bare the shame that came with having a pregnant fiancee, especially since he was not the one who got her pregnant? No one would believe that Mary was carrying the son of God. He had to choose between his love for Mary and his faith in God, or the beliefs and customs of his time and culture.
He chose love and faith.
Do you choose love and faith? Every day situations arise where we can react with love or fear, generosity or selfishness, kindness or callousness, joy or apathy, peace or aggression, gratitude or ignorance. You can choose your reactions and your attitude to everything. And those choices will determine how happy you are. Because it is not what happens to you, or what you receive, or how successful or rich or beautiful you are, that determines your happiness. It is how you think about yourself and your life that determines how joyous you will be.
I'd like to read to you an affirmation written by Iyanla Vanzant. She says:
"There is only one Power and one Presence operating in my mind, my body, and all of my life's affairs. There is the all encompassing power of the Divine.
The power and presence of God. God's truth, God's peace, God's wisdom, God's joy now fills every aspect of my being.
God's truth is revealed as every CHOICE I make.
God's peace is revealed as every CHOICE I make.
God's wisdom is revealed as every CHOICE I make.
God's love sustains me in every CHOICE I make.
For this I am so grateful!"
We are now celebrating the birth of a Divine soul who chose to be born, to teach and to die, to save humanity from their fears and their hatred. Jesus chose to come to us to teach us about loving each other, and loving God. He chose to use his divine energy to heal people -not to manifest money or possessions. His gifts were ones of compassion, wisdom, love, peace, and faith. These are the true gifts we should choose to give to others. Then every day will feel like Christmas.
Praise be the Lord
