Christmas Eve
Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96, Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20
Christmas Day
Isaiah 62:6-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7, Luke 2:1-20
Not many of us are feeling favored these days, are we? And peace? Well, that is hard to find. It begs the question of what does come first, elusive peace or the feeling of not being favored? Anyway, the Christmas spirit is lacking this year. Walk around, look closely, and this truth may become more self-evident than not.
It happened before, according to the prophets, “they cried peace, peace, and there was no peace!” Peace has always been hard to break into the world. Maybe that is part of the reason God promised God would do it for us.
The reality is that one year or so removed from the chaos and disorientation and the post-pandemic world still feels distant from spiritual fulfillment. However, what if the Nativity Story is everything we need, more powerful now than at any other time in our lives as a community of sinners made saints by faith in Jesus Christ?
What other story offers such a hand of improbable situations and characters, and yet everything works out in such a magnificent way that it is impossible not to be transformed by its power.
I know the spiritual tank feels empty, but God still wants us to hear this story and become better witnesses of what it can do for the world. So come favored ones, and find the peace you may be looking for!
Merry Christmas!
Bridging Faith 