Luke 2:1-20

Year A - Christmas Eve - Blessed Body

December 24, 2013

Luke 2:1-20

A context for the articles of our faith is the political situation of the day. Of course there is consistency of cycles of politics over time, but G*D is always connected with history. An ahistorical, eternal-in-the-heavens G*D is political rhetoric for power. Those who control the future control the present (as well as those who control the past, control the present).

For both the futurists and traditionalists among us, pay attention to power issues of the day. If it is as pervasive as the Roman rule of Palestine/Israel, it will be important to find an out-of-the-way place to begin your prophecy or it will come to naught. It wouldn't hurt to also pay attention to the limits of your vision or your remembrance and to be a bit humble about it.

Later on your humility may be remembered as a virtue even though it is simply a practical matter for now. 

---

For those who need one more prod to invest in our book of comments on Year A, here is another sample. 

- - -

You! Remind G*D! 

You! Give G*D no rest! 

You! Prepare for a place of peace to be established!

You! Build up! Build up!

You! Build righteousness!

You! Build justice!

You! You know ... go ahead!

So shepherds in the fields abiding, far from respectability, honor, wealth, or power have this mercy offered—a light, a song, a sign, a witness. Wise shepherds that they be, they look and listen and come and go.

This is a model of being a Christ-bearer—a Christopher Christmas, if you will. It is so valuable that Jesus models himself after shepherds. 

what we treasure most
we shine with pondering
turning it this way
and that

through this pondering
a treasure outgrows our grasp
loosing it here
and there

humble words stir up
remembrances of holy experience come
root words ground
expectations of holy boldness to come

fearless news
joyful people

let’s go, shepherds, peace is promised
let’s ponder, with Mary, peace
let’s return, shepherds, with a song of peace on earth
let’s treasure, with Mary, a favoring of peace for all