Um...

Q.  What does um mean?
A.  um is what you're thinkin'.

I been thinkin' this:

Jesus’ coming was marked by ignominy, impossibility and doubt.  His arrival was shrouded in obscurity, privacy, poverty and humility.  Few had any inkling of his birth, though many longed for the coming of “messiah”.  Those few who received a direct, divine announcement were among the uneducated, the poor and the oppressed.

Incredibly, the birth announcement was captured in brightness and song – we presume – while accompanied by some kind of unique and impressive configuration of stars or heavenly bodies.  Still, very few actually saw, heard, understood and acted on the announcement.

When public officials and rulers learned that the “messiah” may have been born, they responded deceitfully and then violently, perhaps as a way to eliminate a perceived, future threat to their own authority.  But their violent machinations did not alter the child’s future.  In fact, those horrible infanticide served to fulfill prophecies spoken long before Jesus’ birth!  And while the shame of his conception, the humble nature of his birthplace and early years, and his despised ethnic affiliation would dog his steps throughout his life, those accusations mattered nothing to him. 

In our day the reality and import of Jesus’ incarnation remains often shrouded by that which might point truthfully to him: color, light, festivity, song, exchange of gifts and well wishes, family visits and a public holiday.  In truth, the Enemy cannot harm the Christ child now nor undo the Triumph of Christ’s Golgotha.  Instead, he may aim to keep the meaning and “reason for the Season” veiled – for all practical purposes hidden from imparting its life-giving good news in the guise of good intentions.

This veiling effect troubles me.  I observe, for example, that the good will of gift exchanges and good deeds at Christmas may merely distract from, rather than point clearly to, the wonder of God’s gift to us of his precious Jesus.  A European visitor’s (to the USA) illustrates this misunderstanding with his greeting: May this special time of Christmas be an opportunity for you to spend pleasant moments among loved ones, in an atmosphere full of love and mutual kindness.  Of course, I do not want to be among those who frown on “pleasant moments among loved ones”, though the sentiment does bring to mind the unhappy irony of Jesus’ own experience:  “He came to his own, but his own did not receive him.”

I have heard myself admit to feeling more like Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.  But that attitude does not serve any good purpose either.  In fact, I realize that I may actually be cooperating in the Enemy’s cover-up by concentrating on the weal and woe of Christmas frenzy!  In this I miss that God may “show up” and be present to me in a fresh way. 

As a result, I found myself struck by and meditating anew, for example, on the immensity of Christ’s incarnation through the phrases captured in Phillip Brooks’ 1867 Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem:

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

What did the author mean by this last phrase?  How might Jesus’ arrival have occasioned that the hopes and fears – beyond merely those of captive Israel, but including all humanity throughout its history - could be met in Him?  Why, that is huge and surely of global import!  Indeed, it is good news of great joy!  For now I will allow that to remain not completely understood and bathe it rather in mystery and worship.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to [all] on earth!

- gsh