Christmas Eve - Proper 1, Dec. 24, 2022

The New Revised Standard Version The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,a the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,b praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”c

The New Revised Standard Version Teach Sound Doctrine

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,a 12 training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior,b Jesus Christ. 14 He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

The New Revised Standard Version The Righteous Reign of the Coming King

2b The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness—

on them light has shined.

3 You have multiplied the nation,

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as people exult when dividing plunder.

4 For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors

and all the garments rolled in blood

shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

6 For a child has been born for us,

a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 His authority shall grow continually,

and there shall be endless peace

for the throne of David and his kingdom.

He will establish and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time onward and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Merry Christmas!

We say that, even amidst perhaps what might be a weird season with some parts of the country getting a ton of snow, while others, like us, only receive some rain and bitter, biting temperatures! And hey, the times of Jesus birth were strange as well, so it is fitting. For one, we can see that impractical and inconvenient bureaucracy has been with us for a long, long time. A bureaucracy that makes pregnant women close to term travel many miles and towns clogged with an influx of people that do not live there! I guess the Emperor really wanted to keep track of everyone, but what an inconvenience!

And even though the romantic and fancy narrative of Jesus being outside with the animals is somewhat disputed by linguists AND historians, Jesus came at a less than ideal time. See, it is likely they were j”ust” in a spare room as the main guest room (kataluma) was occupied by other relatives and in such a room, there would be something resembling a manger. And you may ask - but what about the animals? Worry not, we now know there would be animals in such a room as it helps to keep the room warm!

The thing is, we do not need to artificially make the situation more dreadful than already is - I imagine that the mother-to-be wanted her mother and other important people of her life to be with her and instead she had to give birth in Joseph’s hometown with the in-laws she JUST met, where there is nobody she knows and on top of that, it comes a time, when the town is bustling with extra people, so it is safe to assume there was a great deal of chaos. I propose this analogy as perhaps a rural setting can be somewhat hard to relate to for many of us - imagine a three bedroom New York (or any big city) flat on the third floor that typically houses 4 people....and suddenly they all have visitors for the holidays and in the middle of this chaos, somebody is starting to give birth!

I think that makes the scene all the more relatable - some of us might be celebrating Christmas in times of various transitions, strained family relationships, perhaps some grief, or uncertainty! There is the expectation that Christmas is supposed to be the happiest and most fulfilling time of the year, but expectations do not make it magically happen for everyone. Just like I bet it took Mary a while before she would adjust to her Motherhood - what with all the angels announcing, shepherds visiting, and other events that do not allow for easy rest between breastfeeding and changing of bands of cloth every now and then.

I am sure it was noisy enough, even without the boy with a drum!

Knowing this, we can still say Merry Christmas - even though the world is far from peace and justice, even as we may have our own struggles and challenges. The birth of Jesus is a promise of change, a hope for God’s reign to be established. Jesus wasn’t born into a peaceful and wholesome world - not then and definitely not now. During his earthly ministry, people got a foretaste of the glory to come, of God’s love and justice realized and I believe through many means, including loving actions of faithful believers, God’s grace continued to trickle in. Christmas, at the center of which we celebrate Jesus’ incarnation, God birthed out of Mary into our flesh, is a cosmic event spreading God’s love and grace far and wide to all creation. For what is a greater sign of love than the creator God becoming a tangible part of God’s own creation? Not a God on the cloud somewhere up there, but a small baby, helpless and dependent on the world with great things ahead of him! And that is where we will pick up the thread of the story in the rest of the church year.

Merry Christmas!