8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”
15 When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to s.”16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. 18 Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. 20 The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told.
Reflection
Can you see it in your mind’s eye? Can you imagine those lowly shepherds, watching over their flock in darkness one minute, the next minute, suddenly blinded by the light of God’s Kin-dom crashing in through time and space. Awe struck by God’s glory the shepherds fall to the ground and hear the angels’ song of praise that contains a miracle, a promise, and a sign. The long awaited Savior is born, bringing salvation and peace. As proof that this is true, they
are given a sign to go and find, a not so ordinary baby, God’s own anointed, but wrapped snugly, like an ordinary infant and laying in an animal’s feeding trough surrounded by his parents. God made room, when the was no room in the inn for Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, who were in need. And centuries later, we are called to do the same by making room for
everyone.
While this story begins in fear and terror, it ends with a journey of joy filled faith, people
praising God, and the sharing of good news, with all who heard it amazed at all that God has done for us. God meets us where we are, shining God’s glorious holy light of love, into the every day mundane lives of people working, living on the edge trying to survive. God did not choose to come as a holy, avenging God to the religious capital city of Jerusalem, or to the
misguided priests and scribes of the Holy Temple, but to a small, poor town known as the city of David, Bethlehem. God did not send angelic messengers to the political oppressors of Rome, to Caesar Augustus, or to Pontus Pilate, governor of Judea, where his troops occupied Bethlehem. God did not send the angelic messenger to confront King Herod for his betrayal of his people and his insatiable lust for power and wealth.
God sent the Messenger of hope to the shepherds, the marginalized, the oppressed, the poor, the broken hearted, to all the people of the earth, not the select few. Because changing the world into the Kin-dom of God starts in the hearts and minds of those seeking mercy and justice and peace. God’s radical hospitality disrupts earthly power dynamics and meets us where we are and it is always inviting all of us to share in salvation and God’s Kin-dom. It is radical because it calls us to follow God’s Kin-dom and not the kingdoms our egos build. It is radical because it transforms us to be like Jesus to all we meet. We seek justice instead of cruelty and the wholeness of God’s peace to heal the broken. We are saved by the infinite grace of God and surrender our lives to the transformative work of the Spirit of God.
by Jeneene Reduker
For Pondering and Prayer
Some scholars think that Luke’s story of the Shepherds was told to him by Mary, Jesus’ mother, who “ committed these things to memory and considered them carefully.” The first time I saw a baby all wrapped up snugly, it was our two month early, premature twins, wrapped up in hospital blankets to protect and comfort them, arms at their sides, too big hats on their tiny heads, wires and tubes trailing from the bundles in their incubators. Like Mary, I too gazed into their faces committing that moment to my memory and wondered what God had in store for their faith journey, all while I was praising God for the miracle of their lives.
This Christmas Day, may we remember that Jesus was born, Emmanuel, God with us. God is making room within each of us, so that we can make room for all God’s people that have been rejected and harmed by evil inherent in earthly power structures. In God’s Kin-dom, both here and not yet, we are called to be the ones making room, a place of meeting God, of offering radical hospitality to all who have been rejected, are broken and in need of God’s grace and
God’s Spirit of transformative love, where all can experience the love of God, through our savior who is Christ the Lord. Who can you share the Good News about Jesus? How will you make room for the poor, the broken and the excluded in your life?
Prayer: Holy and Loving God, as we celebrate our Savior today, open our eyes to all who need to hear the Good News of Jesus and open our hearts and minds to making room for everyone who needs to be included and experience your love. Amen.
