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Reflections for Advent and the Christmas Season
- First Sunday of Advent
- Second Sunday of Advent
- Third Sunday of Advent
- Fourth Sunday of Advent
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas I
- Epiphany
- Author
Reflections for Advent and the Christmas Season
Come Ye to Bethlehem
INTRODUCTION:
Reflections for Advent and the Christmas Season by Linda-Marie Delloff
Weekly Services by Karl D. Lehman
O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
How many times have we sang this favorite Christmas hymn? And yet, during the weeks before Christmas, those moments of triumphant joy are often few and far between.
As we make ourselves ready for Christmas, do we find times to make ourselves ready for the coming of Jesus? Every Christmas, we, as Christians, are called to remember the roots of our faith; we are called to Bethlehem.
While finding meaning and joy in the midst of Christmas commercialism is sometimes difficult, there are things we can do. By setting aside time to reflect and worship together, we can prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus.
Using These Sessions
The weekly sessions provided here are meant to offer individuals, families and other small groups a way to remember the reason we celebrate this holy season. The sessions begin the first week of Advent and follow through Epiphany.
Before Advent begins, you will need to make an Advent wreath. Find a book with instructions for making an Advent wreath. Or follow these simple directions. Take a large, flat shallow bowl (at least 9 inches in diameter) and fill it with sand or coarse salt. Place four purple candles around the edge of the bowl. Place a large white candle in the center. Stick the candles down into the sand or salt so that they stand securely in place. Make a circle of evergreens and place them around the bowl.
You will also need a manger scene, a Bible and matches for the worship service. Depending on the ages of those in your group, adults may want to read the biblical reflections before the worship service begins. Set aside a time each week to hold your worship service, perhaps prior to dinner on Sundays or another day of the week. Invite those who may be alone to join in your worship.
As the service begins, gather around the Advent wreath. Take turns reading, lighting the candles and praying. You may want to review the service beforehand to adapt the content as needed for your group.
About the Authors
Linda-Marie Delloff has a doctorate in American Church History and Religion and the Arts from the University of Chicago Divinity School. She is a contributing editor of The Lutheran and former managing editor of The Christian Century.
Karl D. Lehman, former outreach coordinator for Alternatives, works as a financial consultant for Hands On Atlanta.
FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT
O COME YE TO BETHLEHEM
by Linda-Marie Delloff
Watching for New Things to Come
FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT: Isaiah 2:1-5; Matthew 24:36-44
We could scarcely begin the Advent season on a more auspicious note. "Advent" means a coming, and so the Advent season is the time to prepare for the coming of Christ, both the coming of Christ as an infant and the second coming. The Old Testament text from the prophet Isaiah uses both natural and human images - mountain and house - to create a striking picture of the reign of God.
Close your eyes for a moment and superimpose an image of a house over that of a mountain. A house - a human construction - offers shelter, warmth and protection. A mountain - God's construction in nature - symbolizes strength, majesty and mystery. The "house of worship" spoken of here offers comfort, but it also offers a place to be together with God.
Isaiah says that the "mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains." Israel's faith in its God shall rise above all other faiths, as its temple will dwarf other worship places. Isaiah even dares to predict that "all the nations shall stream to it." All nations will give up their various gods to worship Yahweh - a radical idea, indeed.
God will transform the worship of the nations and the lives of the people. Yahweh's reign will establish peace and justice where there was none. Many nations - not just the Israelites - will exchange their weapons for farming tools. Isaiah tells that the nations will plant not only seeds of crops, but also the seeds of peace and justice. He predicts that all of the peoples will come together peacefully in the expansive house of God's mountain where justice will be dispensed equally to all. The waiting period of Advent will be difficult, but, oh, what glories to expect with its culmination. These joyous prophecies fill us with excitement.
The passage from Matthew speaks about Christ's second coming. Matthew reminds us that we do not know when Christ will come again. Only God knows. Therefore, we wait in careful watchfulness - in caution, restraint and reflection. If we do not reflect inwardly, we will be like the people caught unaware by the flood that Noah survived. If we are not careful and watchful in our preparations, we can be swept away.
There is more to waiting than excitement and anticipation. How much we lose if we spend our waiting time only in holiday partying, frantic shopping, cooking and entertaining. Yes, Advent is a time of excited waiting. If we do not temper our excitement, though, we will lose the meaning of the event of Christ's birth. We can be buried in the avalanche of near-hysteria symbolized by the piles of ripped wrapping paper surrounding the tree on Christmas morning. If we are not deliberate, watchful and prayerful, the meaning of the event can sweep right by us.
As we begin this season of sacred waiting, Matthew's words can be a calming influence. They can remind us to set aside time daily for reflection and pondering. When will Christ really come? There will be a coming at Christmas, but there are many other instances of Christ's presence in our lives. If we are focused only on planning a big, festive birthday party, we may miss those occasions of presence.
SERVICE
- Opening:
-
Tonight is the first night of our Advent vigil,
a night of watching for new things to come.
- Lighting of the Candle:
-
We light this,
the first candle of Advent,
as we watch for the arrival of new things.
(Light the first candle.) Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! - Scripture Reading:
- Read aloud Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; and Matthew 24:36-44.
- Devotional Reading:
- In today's readings, we learn that there is much to watch for this Advent. Isaiah predicts a time when military arms will be converted to farming tools, a time of peace and harmony. The Matthew passage reminds us to be watchful, to make ourselves ready--for the Messiah will come at an unexpected hour. How can we be more deliberate, watchful and prayerful these weeks before Christmas? Let us be ready for the events spoken of in Isaiah and Matthew.
- Activity:
- Choose a place in your home to display your manger scene. Set up the manger and animals, if any. (Don't place any people in the manger at this time.) Find a place in your home, away from the manger, to put Mary and Joseph and another place to put the magi. Gather around the manger scene. Read and discuss the following questions: Imagine you are watching a street scene in Bethlehem. What do you see? What do you think the place where Jesus was born looked like? How does it compare to the place we have chosen for our manger scene? (Encourage people to share their thoughts. Children may enjoy drawing pictures of the scene.)
- Prayer:
-
God of all creation,
as you have asked us, so we pray:
for the peace of Jerusalem,
for peace on earth,
for peace in our homes,
for peace within our hearts.
Teach us to watch
for the tranquility and reconciliation
you bring to our world.
We ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus.Amen.
SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT
Searching for Meaning
SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT: Isaiah 11:1-10; Matthew 3:1-12
Again this week, Isaiah's prophecy is exhilarating. He is predicting the coming of a Savior rising from the house of David. This Savior shall be a wise counselor and judge, whose very words will be so powerful they will strike down evil. He will be girdled round about in righteousness and will wear faithfulness like a garment.
With this coming, the greatest peace will descend. The coming of a Savior signals new ways not only of interacting, but of judging. The Savior will not judge in the common human way - according to appearances. He will not judge by "what can be seen or heard," but, rather, by the principles of righteousness. He will judge all people - including the poor - in equity, according to their infinite preciousness in God's sight.
This is an important reminder for us today. So many of us are tempted to judge people by outward appearance. Our society evaluates people by the clothes they wear, their weight, what they own, how much money they make. At holiday times, our attention often turns even more intensely to outward appearance; Christmas becomes a "show" with new clothes, glitzy decorations and lavish gifts. To judge others and ourselves by outward appearance is both deceptive and unjust. If we do so, we will miss the innate worth of each person's being.
The Isaiah passage reminds us of our own responsibility in caring for all of God's creation - the people as well as the shoots and trees, the waters and animals. How we act during this holiday season is an indication of our attitudes in this regard. Are we reaching out to those in need at Christmas? Are we being careful with natural resources?
We often spend large sums of money on gifts for people whose needs are already met. How can we remember those less fortunate? Christmas is a time to be particularly aware of those who have less to eat than we do - not just less than enough for a party, but less than enough to live on. Our Christmas celebrations can also reflect our concern for God's natural elements. Probably more waste of paper products takes place at Christmas than at any other time. Mountains of wrapping paper, ribbon and cards fill our closets - and then our garbage dumps. Is it really necessary to spend so much on something so soon disposed of? What are some alternatives?
The images in today's gospel reading are raw and rough - as are the words. Speaking not from a green field or pleasant glen, but from the austere wilderness, John the Baptist warns, "Repent!" John acknowledges that this is a time of waiting - "for the kingdom of heaven has come near." He speaks not of excited, agitated waiting, though. Rather, he calls for a time of deep soul-searching and repentance before we are suitably prepared for the coming.
John is disturbed by the appearance of the Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious leaders of his day who were coming to be baptized. John condemns their hypocritical desire for baptism. He tells them they cannot expect to be baptized simply because they descend from Abraham. Lineage is no guarantee of righteousness or worthiness. In one of Matthew's dramatic natural images, John suggests that God can actually raise new children from stones!
Just so, simply because we are Christians does not mean that we are prepared appropriately for the coming of Christ. Advent offers a special opportunity to search our souls for what that coming really means.
Yet how is it possible to spend time in internal searching if we are preoccupied by making the season one of constant, harried activity?
Ironically, one of the reasons we often justify such activity is because we say we are "doing for others" - cooking for others, purchasing gifts for others, and so on. Yet here is John with the startling word that we must also be thinking about ourselves! Looking inward as well as outward can help us prepare for Jesus' coming.
SERVICE
- Opening:
-
Tonight begins the second week of our Advent journey,
a night of searching for meaning. - Lighting of the Candles:
-
We light the first Advent candle,
as we remember to be watchful.
(Relight the first candle.)
We light this,
the second candle,
as we search for meaning this Advent.
(Light the second candle.)
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! - Scripture Reading:
- Read aloud Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-19; and Matthew 3:1-12.
- Devotional Reading:
- Isaiah predicts the coming of a Savior who will bring justice, righteousness and peace. John the Baptist speaks of this as a time for deep soul-searching and repentance. What are we searching for this Advent? Many of us search for things that were lost or for things we would really like to have. Many people search for days for the "right" Christmas gift for a loved one. How can we set aside time to search for the real meaning of this season?
- Activity:
- Gather around the figures of Mary and Joseph. Spend some time talking about the following questions: What might Mary and Joseph have been searching for as they made their way to Bethlehem? A warm place to rest the night? Guidance and strength for their journey? Food to nourish their bodies? Move the figures of Mary and Joseph closer to the manger scene.
- Prayer:
-
God of our longings,
God of our dreams,
teach us how to search,
for the things in which you take delight:
for justice, the cause of the poor,
deliverance to those in poverty,
the crushing of the oppressor,
and equity for the meek of the earth.
Teach us to search our own souls also
for those things which delight you,
and to become immersed in your grace,
upon which we should depend.
In the name of your Son, Jesus,
Amen.
THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT:
Offering Hope for the Future
THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT:Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11
Isaiah's prophecy here is even more hopeful than the passage we read last week. It is also speaking to a people in deeper sorrow. The prophet was addressing the people Israel who had been exiled in the land of Babylon. He is predicting their return. Again, he makes the events most vivid by depicting them in natural images. He starts by saying that the desert itself will bloom and rejoice - it will even sing. Burning sands will become pools of cool water, and the grasses will grow.
At this time of year, there is something especially hopeful about conjuring up an image of a crocus or a stand of graceful green reeds. This is a time when days are growing shorter and becoming colder. Last summer's garden is dry, perhaps covered with snow; but the Bible passage describes spring-like images of crocuses and green shoots.
These images suggest that even as the land dies away in its natural cycle, the heart blooms with our anticipation of the coming. Amid the gathering darkness of shorter days, the light grows within us. A crocus is a small flower. It might be difficult to see, so we need to look carefully for it. If we are too busy with festive preparations, we may overlook it.
There is also here a suggestion of city-like construction. God has built a highway for the people. This is such a safe and straight road that no one can become lost. This road of faith is what God gives to the people. Along it they shall travel to the promised land. God gives the people not only natural sustenance, like water and plants. God also gives the people the faith by which to reach their destination.
The Advent story itself is like such a road. Each week provides a stop along the journey. At each stop are signs pointing to the culmination. If we rush by without making every stop, we will arrive breathless and exhausted at the end. If we look carefully, we can spot the small crocuses and other important signs along the way.
Unlike the Matthew passages in preceding weeks, which called us to turn inward, this passage looks outward. Detained in prison, John hears word of Jesus' works. Jesus has been performing miracles. When John's messengers ask after his identity, Jesus does not respond directly. Instead, he instructs them to describe his miracles to John: the blind see, the lame walk, and the poor have good news.
Jesus reveals his identity not by talking about himself, but by talking about others. The follow-up to looking inward is to look outward and around us. We see not only our family preparing for Christmas; we also see the many poor, the hungry, the unjustly treated, those who are fearful and others who are lonely. As Jesus reveals his identity by acting for others, we can do the same. We can also be a sign to others.
We don't need to look far to find others in need. Ironically, while Advent is a time of joyous expectation, it can be an especially sad time for those who are lonely or are living through a crisis. This is a time to pay special attention to people in need - to include them in our lives and our celebrations, and so be a sign to them.
We are indeed talking about an advent here, but we are cautioned to have suitable expectations. Being a Christian does not mean earthly glories: riches, fancy clothes, expensive houses. In terms of the season, it does not mean lavish gifts, expensive parties and ostentatious displays. Yes, we are waiting, but we must know what we are truly waiting for. If we wait with the appropriate expectations, the glories will indeed be great.
SERVICE
- Opening:
-
Tonight, the third Sunday in Advent,
is a night for hope in the future! - Lighting of the Candles:
-
We light the first two Advent candles,
as we remember to be watchful and to search for meaning.
(Relight the first and second Advent candles.)
We light this,
the third candle of Advent,
as we renew our hope for the future,
a future revealed by God through Jesus.
(Light the third Advent candle.)
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
- Scripture Reading:
- Read aloud Isaiah 35:1-10; and Matthew 11:2-11.
- Devotional Reading:
- In today's readings, we hear of reasons to be hopeful. Isaiah is predicting the return of the Hebrews to the place they call home. Jesus is speaking of miracles--the blind see, the lame walk, the poor receive good news. Are there those among us who are in need of hope and good news? What are we hopeful for this Advent?
- Activity:
- Gather around the figures of Mary and Joseph. Imagine you are Joseph or Mary on the road to Bethlehem. What are your hopes? That you make it to Bethlehem before the baby arrives? That your food lasts the journey? Make a list of the things you hope to find when you arrive at your destination. Move the figures closer to the manger.
- Prayer:
-
God of our present,
God of our future,
we dream of that day,
when all the places where we live,
when all the roadways on which we travel,
when all the homes in which we sleep,
feel the gentle safety of your presence.
With your grace,
we shall reach this promised land.
In the name of the one who lived and lives for all, Amen.
FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT
Acting in Faith
FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT:Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:18-25
In the Isaiah text, the kingdom of Judah is under threat. God is speaking to Ahaz, Judah's king, offering him an opportunity to learn more of God's truth by trusting in God's ability to save the kingdom. Yet the king refuses. He says, "I will not put the Lord to the test." But this is not a statement of modesty or trust in God's strength. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Ahaz will put his faith in human strength, rather than in God, to resist his enemy.
Isaiah becomes exasperated with Ahaz's refusal to trust in God. He goes on to predict that God will deliver the greatest sign of all: a Savior. These lines, so often cited as a prophecy of Jesus' coming, are tremendously heartening. We get so caught up in them that we tend to forget the contrast with the first part of the passage.
In our eagerness to interpret the prophecy, we forget the part about our own responsibility. We have a tendency to put our faith in inappropriate human institutions, when it should properly be placed in God. What can this mean in terms of the season?
Most of what we celebrate around Christmas is a human invention: Santa Claus, lavish gift-giving, overindulging in food and drink. Some of these traditions people made up to provide cheer in the midst of a dark season. Others were invented by Madison Avenue to get us to buy things.
It is tempting to get caught up in the giddy swirl of our culture's inventions, but to do so, warns Isaiah, is wrong. What he predicts as a sign is actually one of the simplest events in the world: the birth of a child. It happens all the time. The common and simple events - not gaudy festivities - contain the meaning.
The passage from Matthew is a direct follow-up to the prophecy. Here Matthew tells the story of Mary and Joseph, their engagement and the discovery that Mary is pregnant. Joseph, a righteous man, will not condemn Mary's pregnancy in any case. But he then learns the truth: the child conceived in Mary's womb is from the Holy Spirit.
Much of this passage is about trust. An angel appears to Joseph in a dream to explain the situation. When Joseph wakes, he must make decisions about marrying Mary and caring for her and the child. He acts on complete faith and trust.
Acting on faith and trust is a tremendous challenge today. In our modern society, we want proof, preferably scientific proof, that something is true. The greatest truths cannot be demonstrated with facts, though. We must accept them in faith and in trust.
Just so, the real truth of this season is not in its external trappings. It is in the dream that lives within each one of us: a dream of hope and justice and peace. God gives us this dream, but we need to nurture it with faith and trust.
At holiday times, we want to forget the bad things going on around us in the world. Things like poverty, hunger, oppression, lack of freedom. We don't want to think of such unpleasant subjects as we bask in the glow of a holiday party or family dinner. But these things do not go away for the season. This does not mean that we should make ourselves sad and sit around bemoaning the state of the world instead of celebrating. Instead, it encourages us continually to think of creative ways in which we can try to make improvements - even small ones. Opening up to another person, forgiving an insult, sharing a meal - each of these is a profound action.
The remarkable thing about the dreams and stories in the Bible is that they belong to all of us. When we are bereft of a sign, the sign is reliably there in the Bible. It is there for all to share.
SERVICE
- Opening:
-
This is the fourth week of our Advent journey,
a time to consider acting in faith and trust. - Lighting of the Candles:
-
We light the first three Advent candles,
as we remember to watch, search and hope.
(Relight the first, second and third Advent candles.)
We light this,
the fourth candle of Advent,
as we step out in faith and take action.
(Light the fourth Advent candle.)
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! - Scripture Reading:
- Read aloud Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7 and 17-19; and Matthew 1:1-25.
- Devotional Reading:
- In today's Advent readings, we hear of the importance of placing our faith in God. Ahaz refuses to trust in God. Joseph receives a message from an angel and acts in faith. We can learn from Joseph and from Mary. Joseph and Mary were not passive bystanders in the Christmas story--they were active participants. They stepped out in faith into a new and uncertain, if not dangerous, future. Do we allow fear and uncertainty to stop us from taking on new responsibilities or challenges? How are we being called to act in faith this Advent?
- Activity:
- Gather around the figures of Mary and Joseph. Imagine what the journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem was like. Imagine what it was like to find there was no room in the inn. Make a list of the ways in which Mary and Joseph placed their faith in God. When you are done, place Mary and Joseph in the manger.
- Prayer:
-
God of Mary and Joseph,
God of our family,
we call on you.
We are ready to take your hand,
and journey into a new and unknown future.
At times we're afraid,
at times, excited.
Show us how to act in faith,
how to rely on your gracious love.
In Jesus name, - Amen.
CHRISTMAS EVE
A Time for Rejoicing
CHRISTMAS EVE: Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:1-20
In the Isaiah text for Christmas Eve, the prophet is no longer predicting. He is saying that events have happened. "A child has been born" - the wondrous event has finally taken place.
In describing the Messiah's reign, the prophet places emphasis on justice, righteousness and peace. The Messiah is a "wonderful counselor," or judge. Even as a mere infant, authority rests upon his shoulders.
Isaiah's text makes us think carefully about what waits at the end of our expectations. With the fulfillment of our expectations comes the successful creation of human community: for all to live together peacefully, with justice dispensed equally to all.
As members of the faith community, it is our responsibility to work for justice and righteousness. During this season, we may tend to dwell more on the "softer" aspects of Jesus' story and message: the sweetness and the love conveyed by the manger scene. We tend to forget the harsher realities Jesus was born into. Jesus came to a troubled world to dispense justice and to right wrongs. The issues of injustice will not wait for consideration at some more convenient time of year. Quite the contrary. It is only as we continually work for justice that we will enjoy the peace represented at the manger.
The New Testament text is one of those most closely associated with Christmas. We have moved from Matthew's Gospel to Luke's for the story of Jesus' birth, the story from which comes that precious image of the family at the manger.
It is a simple scene, not one of richness or magnificence. The mighty counselor has arrived, but he is not seated on a throne. Instead, his family has come to town unannounced, and has no place to stay. What an image - for the great judge to appear in such humble circumstances. But that is the radical dislocation of Christianity. Nothing is what it seems. Nothing is to be taken for granted.
This season is not what it seems according to television, advertising, and many popular Christmas songs. If we base our expectations on those sources, we will certainly be disappointed. We need to look in the unexpected places for meaning.
People build up false expectations, then feel like failures if their plans don't measure up to the television images. Holiday advertising can be harmful not just because of its message to spend money lavishly. It is also harmful in suggesting that if our celebration doesn't fit the model - a congenial group in front of a roaring fire or seated around a laden table - we have failed a test.
This is a dangerous message. If we accept it, it dooms us to ever more frantic efforts to create the image, and ever greater feelings of let-down when we don't. We need to reject the image in the first place. We need to find other images to represent the true meaning of the holiday.
The Luke passage contains one of the most profound images in the Bible. Everything about it contrasts with the image of the roaring fire and the laden table. After Jesus' birth, Mary ponders the events in her heart. She is not rejoicing outwardly, she is reflecting in silence.
Even at this moment of greatest celebration, all is not singing and trumpets sounding. Yes, we will celebrate by singing our favorite carols. But we can also embrace that "still small voice" within the heart. For the celebration is pointless if we don't remember the true meaning of what we're celebrating. Not just the meaning for this moment, but the meaning for the near future, the distant future.
Whenever we are in doubt about how to celebrate Christ's birth, we have only to picture Mary as she sat silently pondering events in her heart. This image can help keep us anchored to the season's real meanings.
SERVICE
- Opening:
-
It's the night before Christmas,
a night to rejoice in the birth of Jesus.
Lighting of the Candles:
We light the four Advent candles,
as we remember to watch, search, hope and act in faith.
(Relight the four Advent candles.)
We light this,
the Christ candle,
as we rejoice in the birth of our Savior.
(Light the Christ candle.)
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord. - Scripture Reading:
- Read aloud Isaiah 9:2-7; and Luke 2:1-20.
- Devotional Reading:
- In today's readings, we are reminded of the simplicity surrounding the birth of Jesus. This small child born in a manger and laid to rest in an animal's trough is here to bring good news. There is much in which to rejoice! Let us take a few minutes to ponder the events that have taken place.
- Activity:
- Place the Christ Child in the manger. Sing a favorite Christmas carol such as, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, What Child Is This or O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Now place any angel or shepherd figures around the manger scene.
- Prayer:
-
Holy God,
the darkness of this evening,
will soon disappear with the breaking of a new day.
Likewise, the darkness of our souls,
has received the light of your blessed child, Jesus.
O Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Prince of Peace,
for the gift of your presence,
we give thanks and rejoice. Amen.
FIRST WEEK AFTER CHRISTMAS
Reflecting on the Birth of Jesus
FIRST WEEK AFTER CHRISTMAS: Isaiah 63:7-9; Matthew 2:13-23
Now that the miraculous event of Christmas has happened, what is to be our attitude? The text from Isaiah sets the tone. Instead of looking ahead, the prophet is looking back. He reminds the people that yes, the waiting is over, but it is not time to shift our minds to new things. This is a time for quiet reflection about these recent events, and all that God has done for us.
Sometimes the period just after Christmas can seem a depressing time. All the excitement, all the anticipation have suddenly vanished. And yet, if we have kept our expectations reasonable and simple, that does not have to be the case. Yahweh saved the Hebrew people from despair. So, by being born among us and coming into the world at this dark time of year, Christ also saves us from despair.
We are reassured by the divine love, realizing it is so strong that God came in human form to dwell with us. In our very celebration of Christmas comes the reassurance that we need not despair - Christ is now among us. We have been focused on the waiting and we have been rewarded. Christ is present, and he brings justice, righteousness and peace. In this way, the meaning of Christmas has just begun.
The Matthew passage affirms this stance. The birth has finally occurred. But other things are just beginning - and some of them are ominous. Joseph is warned in a dream that there is danger to the infant Jesus; King Herod is seeking his death. Herod wants to eliminate what he feels is a threat to his civil authority.
The next section of this passage is something we don't want to hear just after the exultation of Christmas. We don't want to hear about the massacre of infants, or the grief of their mothers. And yet, there it is. Our joy and excitement about Christmas do not mean that all is well in the world. We want evil to be gone with Herod's time. Yet we know this is not the case.
In our time, too, infants and other innocents die daily. In some cases, modern Herods seek their death because they belong to the "wrong" group or race or clan. In other cases, they die of starvation or neglect or random gunfire. These are current situations calling for the justice and righteousness that the savior was born to bring.
We can easily become discouraged by the levels of violence and injustice in the world. It may seem like we as individuals can do little. But we each have an important role to play as instruments of justice and peace. The way in which we vote in elections, the ways in which we choose to spend or invest our money are both examples of how individuals together can influence larger situations.
Another example is how we define the community to which we belong - the group or "tribe" or "clan." If we define that community narrowly, we fall prey to seeing everyone else as outsiders. Then outsiders become enemies. We must broaden our understanding of community and embrace all of God's people.
As we contemplate the problems in the world around us, how do we seek guidance for understanding them? The fact is, God gives us signs and signals - but we are often too busy to heed them, especially at this time of year. Dreams play a crucial role in the story of Jesus' birth and his family's travels around the ancient Holy Land. We recall Joseph's dream explaining Mary's pregnancy. In other dreams, angels warn Joseph to flee, first to Egypt, and later to Galilee.
We, too, can learn from what we experience of God in our inner selves. So, the waiting and watching is not over after all. In fact, we are always waiting and watching for God's word to become apparent to us. If we listen, we can continue to expect that God will speak to us in many ways.
SERVICE
- Opening:
-
This is the week after Christmas,
a time to reflect on the birth of Jesus,
and what that birth means to our world
and our families. - Lighting of the Candles:
-
We light again,
Five candles,
Four to remember our Advent journey,
And one for the Christ Child.
(Relight the four Advent candles and the Christ candle.)
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! - Scripture Reading:
- Read aloud Isaiah 63:7-9; and Matthew 2:13-23.
- Devotional Reading:
- Today's readings remind us that Jesus was born into a troubled world. To escape Herod's wrath, Mary, Joseph and Jesus fled to the safety of Egypt. Are there families or people we know who have had to flee from dangerous conditions? Let us reflect for a moment on what Jesus' birth means to those in fear and despair.
- Activity:
- Ask each person to share one story of this past Advent season. Discuss: How was Jesus present in our Christmas celebrations? How do we continue to seek Jesus? Move the magi figures closer to the manger.
- Prayer:
-
God of the world,
we often wonder,
what is your will for us?
What should we do
in response to the violence and hatred
we experience or witness?
Guide us to safe havens,
as you led the holy family to Egypt.
And give us courage and strength,
when we must confront the dangers in our world.
We are grateful
for your patience and loving guidance,
as we enter into a new year.
Amen.
EPIPHANY
Sharing the Good News
EPIPHANY: Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12
After Christmas, many of us "crash" because we have burned ourselves out in preparing for the holiday. Now it is over, and it seems like there is nothing left. But there is a great deal left.
Isaiah's text is about the gathering in of the scattered and exiled Hebrew people. They can now come together in the light of God's presence. This light is a new dawn. In its brightness, all the dispersed people will find their way home.
What does it mean to think about "coming home?" For an exiled people, of course, it means everything. It means returning physically to the land of their origins. It also means returning spiritually to their home with God. Divisions are healed; reconciliation reigns. What can it mean for us?
Many of us have a home of some sort - whether a house, an apartment, or some other arrangement. We like to think that during the holidays that home will be a gathering place for loved ones. Or we look forward to returning for a gathering to our childhood homes or the home of a relative.
Coming home during this season has another meaning for us, too. We, like the ancient Israelites, come home to our place with God. We come home to the beginning of our journey as Christians: the story of Christ's birth and initial presence in the world. God's light guides us on that journey. This is a time of healing and reconciliation in our own lives: a time for coming closer to God, and to other human beings. Perhaps we have experienced divisions within our family or community. This is a time to heal them - to be generous in inviting others "back home."
What about those of us who don't have a home? This includes those who haven't even a place to live. It is also those who have a place to dwell but are still isolated or lonely. We can devote some of our own resources - financial, time, caring - to creating homes for people who have none. We can find ways to create a warm, safe place for those who are isolated or lonely. We are guided to our spiritual home by the great light that Isaiah describes as God's presence among us. We, too, can be lights for others.
The Matthew text is also based on an image of great light: the star that guides the wise men to the infant Jesus. It is important to remember that the wise men were from another country. Drawn by a light, they traveled far to see the Christ Child. When the wise men returned to their own land, they would presumably spread the good news.
The fact that we have had our Christmas does not mean that it is over. Christ is now among us, incarnate in the world. But we now have a whole new set of responsibilities - to spread the good news in the wider world. What might this mean, especially in this post-Christmas period?
The story of the wise men gives us more hints. The wise men did not return home to their own land by the same route they had first traveled. A dream warned them that they should avoid King Herod on their return trip, as Herod wished to harm the baby Jesus.
The wise men's response to the dream suggests how we can live as Christians. We may need to alter our plans to suit particular circumstances. The route will not always be direct or recognizable. Sometimes it may change. We cannot be rigid - in either our expectations or our actions. Sometimes we must leave the familiar way to seek and follow the truth. This can be the most creative part of the journey: to live and tell the story in our own place, according to our own circumstances. And we can all occasionally take new roads.
Epiphany is indeed time for a new beginning. We are no longer waiting for the specific event of Christ's birth. Now we are waiting for the story to grow - and we are instruments in that growth.
SERVICE
- Opening:
-
Today is Epiphany,
the day the Christ Child was revealed to the world. - Lighting of the Candles:
-
One last time,
we light the four Advent candles,
and the most special candle of all,
the Christ candle.
(Relight the Advent candles and the Christ candle.)
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! - Scripture Reading:
- Read aloud Isaiah 60:1-6; and Matthew 2:1-12.
- Devotional Reading:
- Epiphany is the season of light. In today's readings, we hear how the exiled Hebrew people are brought together in the light of God's presence. We also hear how a light led the magi to the place where the infant Jesus was born. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek word meaning "to show." In a sense, it is the day we celebrate God showing all the world that Jesus has been born for us. How can we experience and share the light of Christmas?
- Activity:
- Jesus and his family were visited by the magi. The Bible says the magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. If you were with the magi what gift would you have brought? Draw a picture of your gift. Place the drawings and the magi around the manger scene.
- Prayer:
-
O God of glory and wonder,
make us bold enough to share
the news of Jesus' birth.
Lead us to reach out to those who long to hear
that Jesus is born.
With Jesus as our example,
help us to be lights to those in need.
Amen.
Many More Interesting Christmas Articles
This page last updated 20 October 2012
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