The other day, on the last day of
work before the holiday weekend, a co-worker asked me if I was ready for
Christmas. The question kind of stopped
me in my tracks, and I answered him, “You know, not really.” He stopped because it wasn’t the answer he
was expecting and probed further, “Is everything okay?” I assured him, “Oh yeah, our family has just
been really busy this year. Between Joan
finishing out nursing school, things at work being so hectic, and my older kids
and step daughter being with their other parents for Christmas this year, it
just seems like I haven’t had a chance to even process the Christmas season
yet.” He laughed and seemed to nod his
understanding. I wished him a Merry
Christmas, and we parted ways.
As I said, work had been tough
this year. I had been harried by a
number of issues that I was pre-occupied with trying to solve. Joan had been working to complete nursing
school, so when I wasn’t at work I was trying to support her by taking care of
the house and kids. Katie and Patrick
were going to be with their mom this year for Christmas, and Sophia and Daniel
were supposed to go to Mexico with their dad for the holiday, so we had not
really made a lot of preparations for Christmas.
I think most people can empathize
with that feeling. Sometimes we get
busy, or distracted, and the Christmas season just seems to pass us by. It happens.
This is how I thought it would be for me this year.
Last night though, as I lay
asleep, something seemed to move me to wake and pick up the Gospel of
Luke. I read the following passage:
“And in the same region there
were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to the
them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with
great fear. And the angel said to them,
‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all
the people. For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling
cloths and lying in a manger.’ And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God
and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with
whom he is pleased.” When the angels
went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go
over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made
known to us.’ And they went with haste
and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the
saying that had been told them concerning this child.” – Luke 2: 8-17
I could not help but think of the
shepherds, to whom the angels appeared and announced the coming of the Savior. What must it have been like?
I imagine a group of men and
boys, having lain their sheep down for the night, pulling their cloaks closer
against the cool of the night air. I am
sure they too were pre-occupied. Trying
to make sure the sheep stayed fed and had adequate water was probably no small
task in the somewhat barren Judean hill country. They probably had just as many concerns about putting food
on the table for their families.
In addition to all of this, these
men were probably familiar with the scriptures.
They had probably attended the local synagogue throughout their
boyhood. They would have been read the
prophecies that the Messiah, one anointed by God, would one day come. But they would have known that the prophets
had been silent for around four hundred years, and still the Messiah had not
yet come.
Another year had come and gone,
and the Savior was still not here. The
joy associated with that promise probably seemed to have passed them by.
And then, suddenly, an angel
appeared to them in glory, delivering to them the good news. “For unto you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
The promise was being fulfilled.
And not only did he give them the
good news, he gave them instructions, a sign by which they could see and
experience this good news for themselves.
This is the sign for you, that you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling
cloths and lying in a manger. This child
is to be the Savior, the Messiah, the anointed one.
Immediately, we are told, these men
went out, they found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby. They saw him.
They experienced him. The promise
that the angel had declared to them was true.
And in their joy, they proclaimed the good news to others.
When I read this passage,
suddenly, I realized that Christmas had not passed me by. The promise that the Savior has finally come
is still true. What was true to the
shepherds as they gazed upon that baby lying in the manger is still true for us
today. Christ is alive and present. And although he died upon the cross, for our
sins, he has risen. He is alive and
seated on his Father’s throne even today.
And just as the shepherds were
able to see, and hear, and touch, and experience the coming of the Savior in
their day, we too get to experience the presence of our Lord. We get to hear the word proclaimed to us that
the Savior has come. When we go to the
communion rail at the altar, we are in his presence. We get to see and touch and taste his body
which is in, with, and under the bread.
We get to see and touch and taste his blood which is in, with, and under
the wine. We get to hear the words that
we are his children, forgiven from our sins by his body and blood which was
shed for us. Just as the shepherds, we
get to experience the peace which has been given to those on whom his favor
rests.
Reading this passage, my heart is
filled with joy and gladness. Christmas
has not passed me by. Christ has
come. The promise is still
fulfilled.
Just as the shepherds made known
the saying that had been told to them concerning the child, I proclaim to you
that the Savior has come. He died for
your sins. Rejoice! Merry Christmas!
