Christmas
January 5, 2019

Scripture Reading: John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. –John 1:1-5

We really do not know when Jesus was born, although some have tried to calculate it based on hints in the gospels. Some think the date December 25 was chosen to re-target the winter solstice events to the celebration of Jesus’ birth. I do not guess it really matters. What matters is that God incarnate came to be with us in the birth of the child Jesus.

I, however, love the song In the Bleak Mid-Winter because it deals with the coldness and darkness of a world without Jesus and that sings well in the winter in many parts of the world. Not so much in Bethlehem where I understand it does snow occasionally but not often. Bethlehem at the turn of the first century was well acquainted with the coldness of despotic rule where babies were killed to calm the nerves of an unstable ruler and the darkness of poverty and oppression weighed heavy on the Jews who longed for the promised Messiah.

The light that came into the world with the birth of Jesus was described as a star, a sign in the sky and we have been blessed with his presence ever since and the sure an certain faith that is coming is ushering in a spreading of the light of love throughout the world and we are privileged and humbled to be a conduit of that light.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago. 

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

 What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart*.

Prayer: Lord, let your light shine throughout the world as we work to love like you. Amen.

First, second, and last verse of In the Bleak Midwinter by Christiana Rosetti see at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53216/in-the-bleak-midwinter