Christmas II
Luke 2: 1-20
(The middle of the Four Gospels)
Now it came to pass in those days that a proclamation went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone set out to be enrolled, each to the town of his ancestors.
So
Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city
of David which is called Bethlehem, because he belonged to the house and
lineage of David. He went to be enrolled with Mary his betrothed. And Mary was
with child. And it came to pass that while they were there, the time was
fulfilled for her to be delivered. And she bore her son, her first-born. And
she wrapped him in linen and placed him in a manger, because there was no room
for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch
over their flocks in the night. And an angel of the Lord came upon them
[appeared before them] and the light of the revelation of God shone about them.
And great fear came upon them [they felt the fear of fears].
But the angel said to them,
“Do
not be afraid; for I announce to you a great joy, which shall be for all men on
earth: today is born unto you the Bringer of Healing, in the city of David,
Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a
sign for you: you will find a little child wrapped in linen, lying in a
manger.”
And suddenly around the angel was the fullness of the heavenly angelic
hosts: their song of praise sounded forth to the highest:
 |
| He Qi |
And brings peace to men of earth
In whose hearts good
will dwells!
And as the angels
withdrew from them into the heavens, the shepherds said to one another:
“Let us go to Bethlehem to see the fulfillment of the Word that has
happened here, which the Lord let be proclaimed.”
And they came hastening, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe
lying in the manger. And when they had seen, they made known the Word that was
spoken to them concerning this child. [or, When they saw that, they understood
what had been told them concerning this child.] And all who heard it were
astonished about what the shepherds said.
But Mary treasured [preserved] all these words, pondering them [turning
them over] in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising
God to everyone for everything they had heard and seen, which was just as it
had been announced to them.
December
25, 2007
Christmas
II, Dawn
Luke
2. 1-20
In
this early morning tenderness, we can picture the familiar scene: a child, born
into lowly circumstances, whose coming is nevertheless announced by the angels
themselves; because of course, this is no ordinary child. Hearing the angels’ words, the shepherds
immediately get up to go to see Him who will become the Good Shepherd of all
souls. And then out of the fullness of their hearts they speak. They speak first
to Mary and Joseph of what the angels said. Then they proclaim what they had
heard and seen to everyone else. The coming of the healing Creator-Word filled their
human hearts, which overflow in a jubilant revelation of His being.
The
dawning of a new Christ-Day, the birth of the Creating Word, fills us with
strange joy. What we see and hear and know warms our blood, touches our lips,
strengthens our spirit-devotion, until our hearts overflow in poetic words of gratitude
and praise:
The shepherds sing;
and shall I silent be?
My God, no hymn for
Thee?
My soul’s a shepherd,
too; a flock it feeds
Of thoughts and words
and deeds.
The pasture is Thy
words; the streams Thy grace
Enriching all the
place.
Shepherd and flock
shall sing, and all my powers
Out-sing the daylight
hours….
I will go searching
till I find a sun,
Shall stay till we
have done;
…His beams shall cheer
my breast, and both so twine,
Till e'en His beams
sing, and my music shine.[1]
[1]
George Herbert, “Christmas”, in Christmas
In Art And Song: A Collection of Songs, Carols and Descriptive Poems, Relating
To The Festival of Christmas (New York: The Arundel Printing and Publishing
Co., 1879). http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Poetry/christmas1.htm
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