Isaiah 9: 2-7 (NRSV)
- The people who walked in darkness
- have seen a great light;
- those who lived in a land of deep darkness--
- on them light has shined.
- You have multiplied the nation,
- you have increased its joy;
- they rejoice before you
- as with joy at the harvest,
- as people exult when dividing plunder.
- For the yoke of their burden,
- and the bar across their shoulders,
- the rod of their oppressor,
- you have broken as on the day of Midian.
- For all the boots of the tramping warriors
- and all the garments rolled in blood
- shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
- For a child has been born for us,
- a son given to us;
- authority rests upon his shoulders;
- and he is named
- Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
- Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- His authority shall grow continually,
- and there shall be endless peace
- for the throne of David and his kingdom.
- He will establish and uphold it
- with justice and with righteousness
- from this time onward and forevermore.
- The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Psalm 96 (BCP. p.725)
Titus 2: 11-14 (NRSV)
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 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.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
- "Glory to God in the highest heaven,
- and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
Blog Reflection
What is the difference between an acquaintance and a friend?
An acquaintance will show up for dinner or afternoon tea. We will meet our acquaintance(s) for the occasional drink at the soda pop case or coffee shop. An acquaintance is often present to us in our great moments, and will often give you compliment after compliment.
A friend knows and accepts who you are on the inside and outside. A friend shows up for the moments of your most cherished of celebrations. But, a friend will also tell you not only what you might want to hear, but also things you probably do not want to hear. Nevertheless, you trust what your friend has to say. Your friend shows up when you are most vulnerable and feeling at your lowest. Your friend arrives and lends the greatest help in the midst of your messes and makes herself/himself vulnerable to you when they know you need them the most.
Here on this holy night/day, we can stop here for a while to rejoice and celebrate this amazing event. God came just when we needed Jesus to arrive. We are invited to come and adore Jesus to welcome him into our hearts, families and communities. It is okay if you are not properly dressed. It is okay if you are not white, wealthy, employed, straight, a man, a powerful person or some person who is most privileged in society or the Church. You are welcome into God's presence as Christ becomes one with all humanity, in all of our circumstances with the opportunity to find healing and wholeness, in the power of God's peace.
In a recent article about the horrible shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Bishop Ian T. Douglas wrote:
And this God who is with us, the Christ-child, is not a God insulated from the hurt and pain of the world. No, Emmanuel is a God who knows suffering; who was born to a homeless teenage mom and whose birth was attended by barn animals and marginalized sheep tenders. This God-with-us and his parents would then become refugees in Egypt to escape the slaughter of other innocent children at the hand of King Herod. And the same God-with-us, Jesus, would die a torturous death upon the cross as a religious and political revolutionary. We Christians, however, hold onto the truth that three days later Jesus rose from the dead. When confronted with the question "How could God let this happen?" we can proclaim that God is a God who is with us, who suffers with us, and who embodies the promise and reality of new life in the face of death.
The Christ event at Christmas is not going to change our world from violence to complete peace. Injustice, oppression, inequality and bias will still be here with us, as long as we think Christ is our free pass for doing nothing. God came to us in Christ, to help us know that doing world changing things in the Name of God for the benefit of all humankind is possible, with God's help. What can change is our own personal sense of peace with God and asking God to help us to discern what role we should play in renewing the face of the earth by the power of the Holy Spirit. Each person will do some thing that God has kept hidden from the world, only to be carried out by each one of us, individually and in community with others.
In his Christmas message to the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, Rt. Rev. Brian Prior IX Bishop of Minnesota wrote:
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it . . ."
So proclaims the Gospel of John.Those searchers, who undoubtedly traveled through challenging landscapes and situations, pressed forward — because of the promise of a star in the sky.Amidst cold dark days or deep personal tragedies, we are reminded by these sacred words that the light of Christ will shine through. As such, we must press forth toward the light.But this light is not out in some distant galaxy — it is within each one of us. As John of the Cross writes in the "Living Flame Of Love:"How gently and lovingly
You wake in my heart,
Where in secret you dwell alone;
And in your sweet breathing,
Filled with good and glory,
How tenderly You swell my heart with love.
As we celebrate Christmas with friends, family, Church communities and ourselves, may the Light of Jesus Christ shine through us to renew God's friendship with all people. May our spending time with the Christ Child, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the angels, give us the joy to sing Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Amen
Prayers
O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth
of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully
receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence
behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen. (Collect for Christmas, Book of Common Prayer, p. 212).
O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the
brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known
the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him
perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he
lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (Collect for Christmas, Book of Common Prayer, p.212).
Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to
take our nature upon him, and to be born [this day] of a pure
virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made
your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed
by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom
with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and
for ever. Amen. (Collect for Christmas, Book of Common Prayer, p. 213).
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