Christmas I, Midnight
December 25, 2014
Matthew 1: 1 -25
[Now is proclaimed the beginning of the whole Gospel,
according to Matthew in the first chapter.]
This is the book of the new creation, which has happened
through Jesus Christ [or, the generation of Jesus Christ], a son of David, who
is a son of Abraham.
….
From Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from
David to the deportation to Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the
exile in Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations.
The birth of Jesus
Christ took place in this way: Mary, his mother, was betrothed to Joseph. But
before they were aware of having come together, she conceived a child by the
power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph however, her husband, who was an upright man
and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, was considering whether he
should quietly set her free [or, decided to consider all this a mystery.] As he
was pondering this, behold the angel of the Lord appeared before him in a dream
and said to him:
“Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because that which is to be
born of her is conceived out of the power of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a
son, and you shall give him the name Jesus, that is, the Bringer of Healing,
for he it will be who will heal his own of their error and guilt. “
All this took place so that the word of the Lord, spoken
by the mouth of the prophet, might be fulfilled:
“A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and they will
call his name Immanuel, that is, God in our midst.”
Now when Joseph rose from his sleep he did as the angel
of the Lord directed him, and he took Mary to himself as his wife, and he knew
her not until she bore her son, and he gave him the name Jesus.
Christmas I, Midnight
Dec 25, 2014
Time is turning. Midnight is becoming the early morning
of a new day. Its actual dawn is yet to come. But it is on the way.
This reading from the beginning of all the gospels is a
kind of preamble. In the dream time, an angel announces to Joseph the striking
of a new hour, a new day. The angel announces what will soon be the arrival of
Jesus, whose name means help or rescuer. He will become the bearer of the Son
of God. And he will rescue humankind from their error and guilt.
The greater new day is again approaching. The Light of
the World is drawing near. We can sense His healing in our praying. The poet
said:
Thou whose birth on earth
 |
| Wilfried Ogilvie, In the Beginning |
Angels sang to men,
While thy stars made mirth,
Saviour, at thy
birth,
This day born again;
As this night was bright
With thy cradle-ray,
Very light of light,
Turn the wild world's night
To thy perfect day.
Thou whose face gives grace
As the sun's doth heat,
Let thy sunbright face
Lighten time and space
Here beneath thy feet.
Bid our peace increase,
Thou that madest morn;
Bid oppressions cease;
Bid the night be peace;
Bid the day be born.[1]
