Showing posts with label Swimburne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swimburne. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Christmas Dawn 2011, In the Middle

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:

God’s Spirit reveals itself in the heights
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. 


Christmas II, Dawn
December 25, 2011
Luke 2:1-20

We are in the middle; in the midst of a great event, a great day. And at the middle is a beginning.

An angel comes to announce the joyous dawning of a new age of mankind—an age of healing. And it begins with a tiny child, from whose eyes there pours all of God’s love for humankind. We are assured that we will find the child when we seek him.

We are in the middle. Human beings are the centerpiece of God’s creation, ratified by the fact that He sent His Son to become one of us. We are in the middle—and at the beginning. The new day has dawned. Human hearts are the dwelling place for His peace. He warms and strengthens the goodness of human will. Human speech is the bearer of His comfort, His healing and His love. And so we say with the poet:

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]





[1] From “Christmas Antiphones” by Algernon Charles Swinburne
Picture: Sunrise over Lake