Pondering

Luke 2:1-20

The Birth of Jesus

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. 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. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 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

 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth 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 heaven,
   and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Mary sets the proper tone for our observance of the Nativity this evening—she ponders everything she experiences deeply within her heart. 

Some miracles deserve nothing less than our quiet, rapt attention. The birth of a child is such a miracle. Granted, birth itself can be a noisy, chaotic event, but then in the presence of brand new life, there is only silent awe and wonder. Jesus’ birth should bring no less. 

This becomes especially true as we consider the full import of this particular miracle—the presence of God in our lives, in full and complete communion with us. 

That is why it is never a mistake to couple the celebration of the birth with the table that came at the end of Jesus’ earthly life. The story is complete simply in the symbols and images set before us. Take them in. Reflect on them. Ponder them. Jesus was born to save, sings the carol. And here is that salvation—presented new and fresh, just in case we have forgotten its reality and its truth. 

So many of us watch the climax of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” again and again—the moment when a desperate Charlie Brown cries out his despair at ever understanding what Christmas is all about, and Linus steps forward to recite Luke’s Nativity, just as we read this evening, concluding, That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown. I think it resonates so deeply because we, like Charlie Brown, hunger for its affirmation and the assurance that the peace, comfort, and joy embodied in Christmas are still all in effect. 

I assure you they are. Linus was and is and will be forever right—Jesus born to us, Savior of all the earth, good news of great joy for all people is still the core meaning of Christmas. At this table we take the good news into ourselves. We dine with God as we eat together the meal of grace, the bread of heaven. 

So I ask you to fall quiet for a little while. Take it all in. Ponder these things in your heart. As you do so, you are ensuring that the great joy of tomorrow will be full, meaningful, and profound. You may also be ensuring it will last well beyond tonight, well beyond tomorrow, well into next year, and perhaps for years to come.

Allow this miracle to take root within you.

Peace be with you.