2014 Christmas Meditation

The Collect

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.

The Lessons

Isaiah 52:7-10, Psalm 98, Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12), John 1:1-14

The Meditation

Librarian Nancy Pearl says that you can't judge a book by its cover, but a first line can tell you a lot. My favorite opening line comes from Rose Macaulay's novel The Towers of Trepizond, which begins:

" 'Take my camel, dear,' said Aunt Dot, as she climbed down from that animal after returning from High Mass." Now that's a first line! It grabs you, and excites you about the possibilities ahead.

Yet arguably the most profound opening line is from John's gospel: In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

With the birth of Jesus, God begins a healing relationship with us, drawing us out of isolation, helping us throw off lifeless patterns in order to respond to the suffering of our sisters and brothers. God put on flesh to save us. We must incarnate in our lives the glory and grace of God we have received.

Christmastide must not be an excuse to escape the world for a few days. We must let Christ touch us and inspire us to create the City of God, where people are no longer cold for lack of shelter or lack of compassion; where people no longer hunger for food for their bodies or purpose for their lives; where the darkness of injustice and poverty is vanquished by the Light from Light we worship this day, which we reflect in our servanthood. Jesus saves us from sin that separates us from God and all made in God's image.

No more let sin and sorrow grow! The Lord has come! Joy to the world!

Linda Sue, Timothy, and Rebekah join me in wishing you a most joyous Twelve Days of Christmas!