Celebrate the child, the misunderstood child

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
^{2 *}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 Counsellor, 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 onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Disruptive child

Disruptive people change the world.

Somehow it seems that "going against the grain" results in big time change.  If the motivation is correct and the values true, disruption can mean big time improvement for everyone involved in the change. 

 

I didn't grow up thinking that the arrival of Jesus had anything to do with disruption.  Clearly, I didn't "get it," nor did those who dutifully shared with me the story of Christmas. 

 

Here is the song that Jesus' mother sang in anticipation of the birth of this special child.  Take a moment to read it, paying special attention to the words highlighted in red.

 

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me, 

and holy is his name.

 

His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

 

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

 

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Luke 1:46-55

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

What does this song communicate about the nature of the child?

Who does God stand with according to the words of this song?

What should we expect to see from those who choose to follow this child?

What application should be made of these truths should be made today?

How does this song change the way  you regard the meaning of Christmas? Or, does it?

What does Mary's song tell us about the fundamental nature and purpose of this child's  life?

When God dropped in. . .

For most Christians, today occupies a very special place not only on the calendar, but also in an understanding of how God operates in and with the world. 

I say "most" because I grew up in a tradition that prided itself in not celebrating the birth of Christ.  The justification for this strange, "non-practice" had something to do with the idea that no one really knew when Jesus was born and that the early church didn't seem to pay much attention to the birth story.  Neither idea made much sense to me from the time I was just a boy.  Who cared about the exact date?  And, it seemed to me that the early church cared enough about the event to include it in two of the gospel narratives. 

But, this is not my point on this gray Christmas morning.

Reading the Gospel narratives about the birth of Jesus turns out to be an exciting, surprising, powerful, informative and formative experience every year.

Consider, for Christians this story's major themes include the following:

• poor, very young parents
• unlikely explanations as to why a baby is on the way
• a teenage pregnancy
• hardship
• humility and humiliation
• misunderstandings
• faith and deep trust
• great danger and violence
• oppression
• poverty
• obedience
• surprising events
• political intrigue
• divine intervention
• refugee status
• flight /migration
• understanding of God's work on behalf of the poor and oppressed
• housing need
• danger of infant mortality
• providence
• darkness
• great Light
• miracles in the midst of "the ordinary"
• formation of new, very unique community

Clearly, this narrative sets the stage and establishes the tone and texture for the rest of the story of Jesus.  Note:  when the gift of God's life shows up for all humanity, we discover it among the poor and outcast.  This unlikely incarnation powerfully communicates God's message of hope and eliminates any doubt about whose side God takes in the human struggle for life and love and justice.

God drops in among the "lowly" to bring great, good news!  In doing so God marks out the pathway for all who claim to follow this child.

Keeping Christmas. . .reprise

Food for thought and reflection this Christmas season.


Keeping Christmas
by Henry Van Dyke

It is a good thing to observe Christmas day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when men agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps one to feel the supremacy of the common life over the individual life. It reminds a man to set his own little watch, now and then, by the great clock of humanity which runs on sun time.

But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas.

Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellow-men are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness--are you willing to do these things even for a day?

Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and the desires of little children; to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear on their hearts; to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open--are you willing to do these things even for a day?

Then you can keep Christmas.

Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world--stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death--and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?

Then you can keep Christmas.

And if you keep it for a day, why not always?

But you can never keep it alone.

[First posted December 2009]

What child is this?

[This post appeared last year on Christmas day.  It is repeated here at the request of a reader. LJ]

It is a very good question, and more than worthy of our reflection.

Over the years I've come to the conclusion that grappling with this question is especially important as we consider both our own understandings of this person named Jesus and, even more so, as we consider how he is to be understood by our children (the next generation).

Moreover, the answer to this question will be extremely important to those of us who are concerned for the health. well-being and just development of our communities. Of course, I realize that not everyone who works in the arena of community development comes at the task from a faith perspective.

But, I do.

So, the question is vital to me and to my understanding of my own work.

Just from the various birth narratives we gain important insights, some possibly surprising, about the nature of this amazing person.

Consider what the Christian literature claims about this child:

• He will be a revolutionary leader whose values will shake up power structures for the benefit of the poor and the powerless (Luke 1: 46-55).
• He was born in a stable thanks to the fact that "there was no room" in the inn for him or his parents--likely an indication of the family's poverty; this child was born in conditions not unlike those experienced every day in Dallas by the homeless who "camp" under our bridges and endure life with nowhere to really rest. On occasion, babies enter our world in such circumstances (Luke 2:1-7).
• He was born to very poor parents, as is made clear when they offer two doves as a sacrifice of dedication, the gift reserved for the poor (Luke 2:22-24).
• He was understood to be source of "salvation" to all people, not just one group (Luke 2:29-32).
• So far as the community at large was concerned, he was born to an unwed mother (Matthew 1:18).
• His arrival signals the coming of forgiveness of sin, the advent of salvation and the redemption of the city of Jerusalem (Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:38).
• He was understood to be a new king who would rule on the basis of a new set of values (Matthew 2:1-2, 6).
• He was an immigrant (King Herod would have considered him "illegal" for certain!), along with his parents who depended upon foreign hospitality for his safety and survival (Matthew 2:13).
  
  Christmas means many things to us. For me, at least in part, it is a time of reflection. The birth of Jesus and the circumstances surrounding his birth reveal so much about the purpose of his coming. The birth stories remind me of the fundamental values that direct our work in the city with and among the very poor.
  
  Merry Christmas!
  
  .

A very different child. . .thoughts for Christmas Eve 2009

When written, these words meant something very important to the communities of faith that received them. These words carry a radical message and present an amazing vision of the work of the child described. Curiously, the power of these words seems largely lost on contemporary followers of the child.

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
(Luke 1:29-56}