THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (CHRISTMAS)

[cappie]

 

Few lives were darker or more miserable than those of first century Palestinian shepherds. People made fun of them – they thought they were stupid, dirty. The religiously orthodox despised them because they could not keep the detailed ceremonial law. If they came into town from the fields, people would avoid them. Life was hard for them. They would spend whole nights huddled together on bleak hillsides, against the often intense cold. We can imagine those shepherds in the middle of the night in the cold dark fields below Bethlehem.

But suddenly, the black darkness was shattered by a blazing light. A messenger from God appeared to those despised shepherds, and they were terrified. But the messenger told them, ‘Don’t be frightened. I bring you good news of a great joy. For to you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.’  And those shepherds went to see. And they were the first of all the people who went to see. They were the first to see Jesus. “We have seen his glory; glory of the only begotten Son of God.”

What an extraordinary thing, that God should have chosen poor outcasts to be the first to come and set eyes upon Jesus.  But perhaps not so strange. The Bible makes it clear that God has a special love and concern for the poor – the ‘anawim’, as the Old Testament has it. So much so, that the Gospels tell us that unless we become poor ourselves we will not be able to see Jesus. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God.’ Blessed are you when you become poor; when you put your trust in God, when you do not trust in your wealth, your achievements, your reputation; blessed are you when you humble yourself, and become like a little child.  Then you too will see God. You too will be able to kneel with the shepherds and gaze upon the Christ child.   Those shepherds were at the bottom of the pile. They had no proud walls of respectability and achievement to hide behind.  They knew their need of God, and in their poverty of spirit, they were the first to see Christ. ‘We have seen his glory; glory as of the only Son of God.’

For us, it is often very hard to admit our weakness, our need for God. It hurts our pride. We’d rather strengthen our image of success and respectability.  It can often be the shock of a loss, the breakdown of a relationship, the loss of a job, an unrealized ambition, with the blow to our pride – often something like this which opens up a crack in our defences, through which God can reach us, through which the light of the Gospel can shine, offering us God’s forgiveness and renewal.

Those who have been to the Holy Land will know the great and ancient Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest in the world, which stands over the site of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. It is a huge and yet, the entrance into the church is less than 1.2m high!  Local Palestinians, rich Western tourists, bishops and every kind of pilgrim, whoever they were, rich or poor, important or lowly, each had to bend down very low to get in through that door.

And I believe that is true for all of us, if we want to see Jesus this Christmas. He said we must become poor in spirit to see him. He said we must become like children to see him. We should put away our pride and become small. To get through that door we must become small, like children, and approach him in trust and humility.  Christmas is for children: for you and me.

On this holy night, in the year of our Lord 2016, we come again to celebrate the birth of Christ, the Light of the World, who shines eternally and triumphantly amidst the darkness. As you come to receive him in bread and wine, bow your head in humility, before this great and mighty wonder, ask Christ into your heart, that he may be born in you again, to be the light and the love of your life.

And may you have a truly joyful and blessed Christmas.

 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, cappie said:

And may you have a truly joyful and blessed Christmas

Thank you, cappie - and may you also have a truly Joyful and blessed Christmas.  

[DominicanHeart]

Blessed Christmas!

[Makarioi]

Merry Christmas, Cappie!!