Today’s text
Luke 2:15-20
Now it happened that when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us.' So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.
Reflection
Come, Lord Jesus.
Come to us who have no idea what it is that we find in you.
The shepherds went and found you. Did they adore you? Did they kneel and worship you? Did they stand, gaping, open-mouthed at the strange events happening along their normally quiet hillside?
We are not told. But certainly they had no depth of understanding of what was really happening. The dawn of a new time lay before them in the manger. Everything, even God, it seems, had changed.
No longer could the Holy Immensity be considered only as immeasurably grand, cosmic, transcending all comprehension. The inconceivable had occurred: God had become small, tiny as an ovum, dependent as an unborn child, helpless as a newborn.
The approach of God awakened no fear. Who fears an infant?
Yet in this child the incomparable immensity of the divine heart beat for all human kind, welcoming us to pick him up, rock him gently in our arms and hold him near, that the One who is Love might awaken the same in us.
It doesn’t say so in the Bible. But I like to think the Shepherds, at least one of them, picked you up and held you. That’s what I would have done. And every time I imagine this scene I see one of them holding you, rapt in joy by your infant face.
I know: They understood nothing about what was going on that they could really explain. They could only tell the story and give praise to God for the gifts of the evening, the extent of which far exceeded their thoughts.
But not their joy. They knew, and somehow believed, God had visited them. And we know that in this child you visit every hillside of this earth, with the peace of your great favor.
We don’t comprehend it much better than did those shepherds who first showed up at your infant bed. But that doesn’t matter. For we have found you, Lord Jesus, coming to us. And that is all we need, for this day, for this life, for forever.
May we, too, hold you to our hearts. Come, Lord Jesus, awaken in us the Love you are.
Then it is that Christmas shall come.
Pr. David L. Miller
http://prayingthemystery.blogspot.com/
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Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Today’s text
Luke 2:1-7
An angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, 'Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.' And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace for those he favors.
Reflection
Come, Lord Jesus. Banish all fear and give us heavenly joy.
These messengers of light reveled in the joy of their task. They tumbled over themselves announcing to a few shepherds, working the night shift, that there is nothing to fear. Nothing. Not then, Not now. Not ever. Not for us.
To you, is born, this day, a savior.
And this is very good news. For we are in pretty bad need of being saved, saved from all that crushes from us the breath of joy.
Joy is your intention, Holy One, nothing less: Dancing, singing, laughing, playing, falling over ourselves joy, the joy awakened by the awareness that all is not lost. All is never lost. For you are never far, and you never forsake all you have made, and made just for the fun of it--made that the joy of your divine heart might be shared.
Joy is your will: joy for all that is; joy for all creation; joy rising from the lips of all that breathes. You make us in joy and for the joy of the love that flows in a ceaseless stream from your eternal heart.
But the weight of our worries, our lacerating losses and the depth of our doubt crush the angels’ simple words: Peace for those you favor.
And you favor us, always have, always will. We dwell in the circle of your favor.
So come Lord Jesus. Favor our hearts with your presence abiding. Amid days too full and struggles unwanted, open our eyes to hear and our hearts to believe the angels’ joyful song of peace.
For you come to us this day, and every day, a savior. Come Lord Jesus. Save us.
Pr. David L. Miller
Luke 2:1-7
An angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, 'Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.' And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace for those he favors.
Reflection
Come, Lord Jesus. Banish all fear and give us heavenly joy.
These messengers of light reveled in the joy of their task. They tumbled over themselves announcing to a few shepherds, working the night shift, that there is nothing to fear. Nothing. Not then, Not now. Not ever. Not for us.
To you, is born, this day, a savior.
And this is very good news. For we are in pretty bad need of being saved, saved from all that crushes from us the breath of joy.
Joy is your intention, Holy One, nothing less: Dancing, singing, laughing, playing, falling over ourselves joy, the joy awakened by the awareness that all is not lost. All is never lost. For you are never far, and you never forsake all you have made, and made just for the fun of it--made that the joy of your divine heart might be shared.
Joy is your will: joy for all that is; joy for all creation; joy rising from the lips of all that breathes. You make us in joy and for the joy of the love that flows in a ceaseless stream from your eternal heart.
But the weight of our worries, our lacerating losses and the depth of our doubt crush the angels’ simple words: Peace for those you favor.
And you favor us, always have, always will. We dwell in the circle of your favor.
So come Lord Jesus. Favor our hearts with your presence abiding. Amid days too full and struggles unwanted, open our eyes to hear and our hearts to believe the angels’ joyful song of peace.
For you come to us this day, and every day, a savior. Come Lord Jesus. Save us.
Pr. David L. Miller
Monday, December 22, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Today’s text
Luke 2:1-7
Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. This census -- the first -- took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judaea, to David's town called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space.
Reflection
Come, Lord Jesus.
There is nothing special here, nothing that says something remarkable is happening: a woman, a man, the birth of one more poor child in a world that has always had too many of them.
The travelers don’t seem to be wanted in the town Joseph’s family calls home. Nor are there any of that family still around. If Joseph had people in Bethlehem, why didn’t he go to them when his little family needed a place to stay?
But maybe they didn’t want anything to do with him and his pregnant girl friend. That happens in families. Sad, but all too true.
There is no one at the door to welcome them for the holidays. They are alone and unwanted with nary a caring soul in sight, which is a close description of our deepest fears.
But in the midst of those fears you are born, dear Christ, the gift of God to the fearful aloneness of every human soul.
You come to us not because of our sin and ugliness, but from the desire of your heart to hold our emptiness to your breast until your love flows into the poverty and need of our little lives, banishing our aloneness and convincing our doubting hearts that you want us, that you love us, that you will fill us with that beauty that is east of the sun and west of the moon that shines now in your infant eyes.
You come into the lonely places with the light of forever in your eyes.
Come now to us, Lord Jesus. Illumine our aloneness with your presence.
Pr. David L. Miller
Luke 2:1-7
Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. This census -- the first -- took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judaea, to David's town called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space.
Reflection
Come, Lord Jesus.
There is nothing special here, nothing that says something remarkable is happening: a woman, a man, the birth of one more poor child in a world that has always had too many of them.
The travelers don’t seem to be wanted in the town Joseph’s family calls home. Nor are there any of that family still around. If Joseph had people in Bethlehem, why didn’t he go to them when his little family needed a place to stay?
But maybe they didn’t want anything to do with him and his pregnant girl friend. That happens in families. Sad, but all too true.
There is no one at the door to welcome them for the holidays. They are alone and unwanted with nary a caring soul in sight, which is a close description of our deepest fears.
But in the midst of those fears you are born, dear Christ, the gift of God to the fearful aloneness of every human soul.
You come to us not because of our sin and ugliness, but from the desire of your heart to hold our emptiness to your breast until your love flows into the poverty and need of our little lives, banishing our aloneness and convincing our doubting hearts that you want us, that you love us, that you will fill us with that beauty that is east of the sun and west of the moon that shines now in your infant eyes.
You come into the lonely places with the light of forever in your eyes.
Come now to us, Lord Jesus. Illumine our aloneness with your presence.
Pr. David L. Miller
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