An advent letter from Saint Ambrose (born around 340 AD)was printed in my church bulletin. It is as pertinent in our day as it was inAmbrose's time. Scores of people (including many Christians) don'tappreciate the gift of Christ. I know many who celebrate Christmas and Easter,yet do not believe in Christ's divinity. They either think He never existed orthat He was merely a nice wise man who taught everyone to be kind. (These latterdon't explain why a nice wise man would stir up trouble and claim to be divine,but that's a post for another day.)
Ambrose points out that we should treat everyone withlove. This means, even people who don't believe in Christ, family members whomwe find annoying, and strangers who cut us off on the road.
Ambrose holds up the Virgin Mary as a person to imitate.Sadly, many Christians today brush the mother of our Lord aside. They thinkthat because she's human, she isn't important. But she embraced God's call andthrew herself completely into trusting His plan. She really was the firstChristian. Of course we should look to her as a role model!
We'd be wise to behave like Mary and trust God. The Lord seesbeyond the surface while we see mere appearances filtered through our own egos.He can use what we think of as unlikely situations and people to achieve Hisplan. The teenaged atheist sitting across the Christmas table from you this yearmay in fact be the next great theologian. Just remember, even now, they are abeloved child of God.
Now, here's Saint Ambrose's letter:
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
How beautiful, how awesome it is that our God sent Hisown Son to dwell among us, as one of us, to heal the breach between human anddivine! And how tragic it is when frail humankind fails to appreciate the gift.
In my day, the followers of a man named Arius did notbelieve in Christ's divinity. They demanded that we hand over two churches fortheir use, but I refused to do so. In these difficult times, it was even moreimportant for the followers of Christ to stand united. The mystery and gift ofthe Incarnation is that Christ came for us all. In every age, the language,customs and liturgical practices that separate the faithful are less importantthan the faith that unites us. While we cannot condone heresy, we must approachall those we meet with the heart of Our Lord, Who treated even sinners and taxcollectors as beloved children of God.
The Virgin Mother provides us an example to emulate. Shewho bore the Savior understands the weight of an uncertain future. She, thehumblest of women, found herself called to serve her Lords in a way that seemedimpossible. Yet she embraced the call, both the gift of birth and the sacrificeof the Cross. She trusted the sure and certain hope of salvation promised ofold. We trust in the equally certain promise of Our Lord's return. For God canuse all situations and all people to effect His plan, even those who seem theleast likely candidates. Witness myself, a Roman governor nominated as bishopof Milan even before I was baptized!
In times filled with conflict, then, endeavor to embracethe same patience and hope demonstrated by the Virgin in the days before theNativity. May the peace of Christ dwell always in your hearts.
Your brother in Christ,
Ambrose
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