To hear the nativity story from the Gospel of Luke is to
hear something so familiar your mind skips along comprehending, but not
comprehending. To enter this story as
more than one who listens to a familiar tale—that is our task. Luke is a wonderful story teller and entering
the story allows us to draw closer to the mystery of God's coming to live as a
human being. Let's look at the
characters in this story, what might it be like to experience this amazing
birth—to be both puzzled and in awe, to glorify and to ponder. What did it mean for them? What does it mean for us?
First let's consider the shepherds. The shepherds were
living in the fields with their sheep keeping watch—for predators most
likely. But despite the fact that King
David tended his father’s flocks and that we have the image of Jesus in our
minds—and in stained glass windows—as “the Good Shepherd” of his parable,
shepherds in the first century practiced a despised occupation. Shepherds received the label “shiftless and
dishonest,” because people felt they allowed the sheep to wander and graze on
other’s lands. Then, living outside
made shepherding a dirty job. (Those of you who have camped out “under the
stars” where there was no water pump know how dirty one can get.) Homeless people who live on the streets look
“disreputable,” because they can never stay clean. But not only were the shepherds physically
dirty, they could also never be ritually clean.
They were outcasts from the religious life of the community. And yet to these shepherds, social outcasts,
physically dirty, and ritually unclean, Christ became present.
How do we think about those who are homeless? The story in
the newspaper today about a family who became homeless when the husband
lost his job shows a family like most of us.
Christ can become present in all sorts of difficult circumstances—even our
own.
Let's consider the angels next. Luke said, “Then an
angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid;
for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.’” The darkness of the shepherds suddenly
became illumined by the light of God’s glory.
Their status as only “despised and unclean ones” became altered
forever by their experience of God’s presence with them. After they had come to Bethlehem to see Mary,
Joseph and the baby Jesus, “they made known what had been told them about this
child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.” They
became evangelists, spreading the Good News of the Messiah’s birth.
To be
the bearer of God's illumination—even in the worst of circumstances, perhaps we
can be like those angels. Yes, we can pray
for those who suffer from natural disasters or from human violence. But we can also take action. Can we through both prayer and action be
God's light for someone in need?
Finally,
there was Mary. Luke’s sparse two-verse account of Jesus’ birth goes by
quickly: “While
they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth
to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
But we wonder about how things were for Mary—and in our
imagination we fill in all details Luke didn’t find important. Look at our crèche and wonder. During the pain of childbirth who was with
Mary? Was her faithful husband, Joseph,
by her side or had he walked away to take a break from Mary’s crying out? Were the animals we all love to see in our
crèches respectfully attentive—not one of them sniffing or chomping or making
noises? Was it really “Silent night,
holy night” in the stable? No matter who
was with her, however, could her memories of the angel Gabriel’s message have sustained
her? “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you . . . You will be with
child and give birth to a son. . . He will be great and will be called the Son
of the Most High.”
Mary participated in God’s work of salvation, giving birth
to Jesus, the one whom we call “Emmanuel, God with us.” And in this holy birth, Christ became present
no only to Mary, but to all of us. His life and his teachings can lead us into
holy living. His death on the cross and
his resurrection point to God’s power over evil, God’s never failing grace, and
God’s saving love for us. After hearing
the “Christmas Story” once again and singing our beloved Christmas carols and
hymns, can we, like Mary, ponder in our hearts what it means for God, made
human flesh in Jesus, to be among us. Can
we be a God-bearer for others?
“Emmanuel, God with us”—God’s grace can be seen in Christ’s
presence with us no matter what happens.
Christ’s presence, sustaining us, loving us, making us whole and
complete—no matter what our circumstances are—this is the true gift of
Christmas. We give thanks tonight/today
for God’s gift of Jesus Christ. For
through Jesus we become daughters and sons of God, heirs through Jesus of
everlasting life.
So as we continue our worship and our Christmas
celebrations, let us remember the shepherds, the angels and Mary—each with a
role to play, each an example for us as we open ourselves to God's love so
freely given to us in Jesus. When we are
puzzled, may we be awed and drawn closer to God. When we have come to know God, may we give
God glory. Then may we ponder the wonder and mystery revealed in the incarnate
God, Jesus Christ.
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