The Cross and Christmas

“Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, 'This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.'" -Luke 2:34-35

As it is the custom, eight days after Jesus’ birth he was taken to the temple to be circumcised. While all of the rituals were being observed, there amongst them stood a devout and righteous man, Simeon. He had been led by the Spirit there that day. Catch this. He was led. He was led because he was in the Spirit and was waiting.

Immediately, he recognized who this baby was. He knew He was the Christ. He blessed the child and his parents, and then there was a prophecy. A prophetic word that I’m sure didn’t make sense to His parents, a word that must have pierced the heart of Mary, a word that no mother wants to ever hear ever and on the dedication of her child. “...And a sword would pierce your very soul.”

Imagine the shock on the face of Mary. Mary was never told by the Angel her son would be beaten beyond recognition, nailed to a tree, spat on, cursed, made fun of, stripped of his clothes, pierced, and killed. No one told her that her little baby bundle of joy would be treated like a criminal and ultimately murdered for doing nothing wrong.

Perhaps, you might be thinking what does all this have to do with the Christmas? It’s a happy time, why would I write about His death at Christmas time? Why be gloomy in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the beautiful Christmas season? The Christmas story is all about a King leaving His throne and purposely, willingly going to the cross as the ultimate gift. Jesus gave us the greatest of gifts: the gift of life, of redemption, forgiveness, and healing. He gave, and continues to give them to us freely. Can anyone beat these kinds of gifts?

I’m not being gloomy! The opposite is true. I’m rejoicing because the Savior was born. He was born to break the bondage of death and restore us to God. He took my sins and yours and nailed them to a cross. Every disease was healed, and every yoke and burden He released. Everything broken was restored, and every person was set free. This is what that baby in the manger ended up doing, reconciliation between man and God. Simeon who was in the Spirit knew it and rejoiced at His birth.

Mary, a woman who was found to be highly favored amongst all women, by the Holy and Great God had to go through the worst trial any mother could possibly go through: watching her child die at the hands of those whom he had blessed. Imagine the pain! No, actually, none of us can imagine because none of us have lived through that kind of agony.

Today, I would like us to meditate on this passage, especially, “.. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.”

Smack in the middle of Simon’s prophecy God reveals some ugly truth. "Deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.” Isn’t that what ended up happening? Starting with his closest disciple, Judas. Truth is only God knows the hearts of people. Betrayal still takes place in our world. Oftentimes, it comes from those who are the closest to us. It’s very hurtful and extremely painful.

Jesus’ birth still stirs the “deepest thoughts of our hearts” and what’s in the heart always comes out. Good or bad the revelation of what is truly in our hearts is always revealed.

Mary had her heart pierced, alright. I would say, totally ripped apart, broken, crushed, and left filled with unbearably sorrow. She wasn’t expecting the miraculous birth of this child to end in such a horrific death.

Today, I bring you good news! Those few days of Mary’s indescribable pain turned to pure joy when her son rose from the dead. I might not know of the pain you are going through, wondering when it will be over. I’m letting you know this baby boy Jesus grew up to be a man, not just a man but fully God, too. He took our sin and sicknesses to a cross and conquered them all there. His birth was majestic and His death was victorious. Alleluia to God in the highest.

Whatever God has allowed to pierce your heart, please know that little baby Jesus took it to the cross and you are an overcomer. It’s power has been broken, and you have been declared victorious. What might seem as an end is not.

Let me wrap it up by clearly saying life sometimes isn’t as we think. Those promises and dreams don’t match what we envisioned, but this is where we make our biggest mistakes. We remain in the manger, and then there is a cross. But it’s at the cross that the greatest victories are won. The manger produced what needed to go to the cross.

We don’t go to the manger for victorious living. We go to the cross. This means our hearts must be pierced to reveal what’s truly in it, and we must be like Simeon in the Spirit and recognizing what’s of the Spirit.

Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro, Founder and President of Thread of Hope, Inc.

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