First Sunday after Christmas: In the Word We Are All Children of God

Today's Scripture Readings

Isaiah 61:10-62:3 (NRSV)

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,

my whole being shall exult in my God;

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its shoots,

and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,

so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

to spring up before all the nations.

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,

and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,

until her vindication shines out like the dawn,

and her salvation like a burning torch.

The nations shall see your vindication,

and all the kings your glory;

and you shall be called by a new name

that the mouth of the LORD will give.

You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,

and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Psalm 148 (BCP., p.804)


Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7 (NRSV)

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

John 1:1-18 (NRSV)

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. (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

Blog Reflection

A great and wonderful thing has occurred.  Through the events that took place in Bethlehem, God came to us in Christ.   Our celebration of Christmas which continues on this sixth day, the First Sunday after, is to rejoice in all that God has done.   In spite of all of the horrible events going on in the various parts of the world, God did not stop loving us.  God who made all things through the Word, the Breath of God, knowing that we are enduring so much suffering, came to us, so that all who believe in the Name of Jesus are children of God.

The reading from Isaiah is a song of celebration.  Jerusalem has been crowned as the City that has been saved, because of God's inclusive love and power.  The Prophet just cannot be silent, because the vindication of the City shines all over the world.  The greatness of God's power on behalf of God's people just cannot be kept, the ground is yielding forth a harvest that is full of promise and opportunity.

Paul is telling us that Christ came in a point of time to save us from our certainty that all we must do is follow the rules.  In Christ we have all been adopted and God is our "Abba" meaning "Father or Mother".   A Parent who has become the One for whom our obedience is a matter of love, not fear.  We cannot be obedient to God out of love if we do not accept the reality of who we are.  Regardless of our race, religion, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, health, wealth, culture, etc, we are all adopted by Christ as daughters and sons of God.  Our "Abba" is someone who represents Christ, because she/he guides us to our fullest potential as God's children.

In case I have never written it, the text from the Prologue of St. John's Gospel is my very favorite of all Christmas Scriptures.   Reflecting on this Gospel along side the narratives in Luke, we can see how what happened when the Word became flesh. God did a lot more than be born as a vulnerable child.  God who created all things by God's Wisdom and Breathe, also came to us and walks with us through our deepest valleys, and shines on our greatest mountain tops.  Whether we recognize God in our world or life, the Word came to us so that all who believe in His Name, are empowered as Children of God.  So, the reason for the birth of Christ through the womb of a virgin mother, is about us being reborn of God. Not by flesh and blood, but by the will of God.  Whatever "isms" we might want to apply to each other, in Christ, we are born of God and are children of God.

All of this wonderful news, should motivate us to do all we can to end injustice, suffering and oppression due to prejudice.   If Christ is God's perfect revelation of Self, by which we are all God's children through the Son of God, then no person is worthless.   There is no such thing as an individual person who is dispensable for any reason.  No amount of bias that results in violence or suppression can be justified or supported.   Because in Christ, all of us are here by God's will and have a divine destiny to fulfill.

Every Christmas we sing the famous hymn with the words:

Joy to the world!  The Lord is come; let earth receive her King;
let every heart, prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Every heart is called upon to prepare room for the newborn King.  The Word made flesh in Jesus Christ as he comes in the African American, the Native American, the Muslim, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, the sick, the lonely, the dying, the poorly dressed and those who also have no room at the inns of society and the Church.

As we continue through the Christmas Season, preparing to bid goodbye to 2012, let every heart prepare room for Jesus Christ by loving God, our neighbor and ourselves in whatever way we can.

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of
your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our
hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for the First Sunday after Christmas, Book of Common Prayer, p. 213).

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815).


Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen. (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.816)