The Eve of the Nativity
Not too long ago I
read a little book about John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley, two passengers on The
Mayflower. John came over as an indentured servant but
was freed because his sponsors didn’t survive the first winter. Elizabeth was left orphaned as a teen when no
one else in her family made it through to spring. Eventually John and Tilley married, which is
not at all surprising given only 50 some folk survived the early
challenges.
Why did I read this
book? Two reasons. First, these two are my 10th
great-grandparents. I maintain each of
us is a descendant of a lot of interesting, perhaps even historic figures, but are
unaware of our lineage. And second, John
nearly died in route to America. Seems
there was a terrible storm in the North Atlantic and the passengers were
confined to below decks – a miserable experience in a dank, leaky, stinky, reeling
vessel. So John decided to go up on deck
for some fresh air where a wave swept over The Mayflower and washed him
into the frigid, raging waters. By an
act of providence, he was able to grab hold of a rope trailing from the ship, gain
the attention of the crew, and get pulled back to safety. So, I have this in my DNA!
Reading the book got
me to thinking about deep, unanswerable, existential questions. If John Howland had not survived, not gone on
to marry Elizabeth, and not fathered my 9th great-grandmother, would
I still be me? Would I be here, only
with a grip just slightly weaker? Or
might I not even exist at all? Does
anyone else even ponder such things before falling asleep at night?
Well, I needed answers
and, in 2025, when you need answers, what do you do? That’s right, you go to Google. Here is what it told me:
[Every person is an] intricate biological puzzle that
we are only beginning to fully understand.
From the microscopic world of DNA to the complex, neural networks in our
brains, biological systems shape every aspect of who we are, from our physical
traits to our personalities. But while
genetics and biology provide a blueprint, the experiences we go through – our
upbringing, relationships, societal influences – play crucial roles in molding
us. So, what exactly makes you, well, you?
The answer is complex and multifaceted, and it lies at the intersection
of biology, environment, and personal experience.
Biology. Researchers have determined 99.1% of our DNA
is the same as everyone else’s. Less
than 1% of your genetic makeup makes up all that makes you distinctive. Environment.
Long ago, while reading about a field of study called Cultural
Linguistics, I learned the language you are raised with has an influence on how
your brain learns to processes input?
Experience. Even if you share,
say, a childhood moment with your siblings, your reaction to it differs, if
only slightly, from theirs. All of this is
part of the rich stew making you you.
We might want to ask
if there is something more at work in us in addition to biology, environment,
and experience. Google asserts there is
not. And yet when my second daughter was
born, I knew in an instant she was not a carbon copy of her older sister. It was much deeper than appearance. It had to do with temperament. And each girl’s distinctive temperament at
birth can’t be attributed neatly to biology, environment, or experience. It is something more. In my estimation, it is something… spiritual.
We are more than the
products of nature and nurture – so much more.
What makes you unique? In
addition to your genetics, your cultural influences, and your experience, there
is your spirit. We get a glimpse of this
when God calls Jeremiah to the prophetic ministry:
Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you,
And before you were born I
consecrated you;
I appointed you
as a prophet to the nations. 1:5
Like Jeremiah, there
is something about you – something spiritual – known to God long before biology
and environment and experience begin to have their way with you. And, just as with Jeremiah, this spiritual
part is imbued by God with a purpose.
God has an intent for you which, though it may be similar to what God
holds for others, it is yours and yours alone.
We come here tonight
to greet the baby Jesus. St. Paul,
recognizing the holy child’s unique purpose and intent, wrote this to the
Church in Ephesus:
For God chose him before the foundation of the world
to be holy and blameless. 1:4
Christ lived fully
into God’s purpose and intent for him.
His witness begs us to ponder how and if we are living into ours. Whatever smidgen of DNA you inherited from
one of your 4,096 10th great-grandparents, given all the ways our
culture molds us, and beyond the vast experiences we have had (all of which
contributes to what makes you you), you must come to terms with the
reality you are spirit and your spirit is not product of nature or a
consequence of nurture. You are you
because, like Jesus, God created you to be who you are and to do what you are
supposed to do.
I suspect Jesus spent
a great deal of his formative years pondering who he was and what his purpose
was to be. Perhaps, this Christmas, you
might set aside some time to muse about who you are and who you are called to
be. Perhaps you might consider how
better to tend to that within you which is spirit. And you might want to reflect on how biology,
culture, and experience have helped you and how they have hindered you.
Are you lost?
God sent Jesus to find you.
Are you confused, God sent Jesus to guide you.
Are you tied in knots?
God sent Jesus to give you peace.
Are adrift with no significant purpose in life? God sent Jesus to call you to discipleship.
Are you filled with despair? God sent Jesus to give you hope.
Are you beaten down?
God sent Jesus to raise you up.
Are you hurting?
God sent Jesus to heal you.
Are you crippled with self-loathing? God sent Jesus to love you for who you are,
just as you are.
Are you racked with fear? God sent Jesus to give you faith.
Are you a slave to a passion or a vice? God sent Jesus to set you free.
Are you awash in a sea of sin? God sent Jesus to save you.
No wonder the world
pauses tonight to celebrate the birth of this Child who is God’s precious gift
to all.
