Merry Christmas Beloveds!
The author James Harish tells the story of attending his 3-year-old grandson’s preschool Christmas pageant. He writes, “I’ve seen the nativity performed in the splendor of the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. I’ve heard it read by movie stars with massed choirs at the Walt Disney World Resort. I’ve seen it celebrated in gothic cathedrals. But it’s hard to beat the way preschool age children tell it – with angels in tinsel halos, shepherds in bathrobes, and wise men in Burger King crowns.”
At this particular pageant, he says, the only ones harder to keep in a group than the sheep were the shepherds. And one wise man’s crown was way too big for his head and kept slipping down and sitting on his shoulders. At one point Mary noticed that Jesus’ swaddling clothes were coming loose so she unwrapped the whole blanket and gathered the now naked baby Jesus doll in her head scarf and cuddled him close to her chest while gently rocking side to side and up and down. And then there was the five-year-old gift who was playing the angel tasked with announcing the birth to the shepherds. Most of the people in the audience knew that a few months before, her father and uncle had died in a car accident. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place when – with all the gusto a five-year-old can muster – she shouted “Behold, I bring you good news of great joy! To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.”
I think Harnish is right – that is exactly how the story was meant to be told. I mean, isn’t that Christmas in real life? Into a world where preschoolers sometimes lose their fathers and parents sometimes lose their jobs and families sometimes lose their homes – Christ comes. Good news of great joy. Into a world of pandemics and wildfires and tornadoes – a world where Herods still have power – Christ comes. Peace on earth, goodwill to all. Into a world where, let’s face it, preschool shepherds aren’t the only ones running around feeling lost and disoriented and confused – Christ comes. To us is born a savior. The Gospel writer said it best – “The Word became flesh and made his home among us.” Came to be with us through it all. Came to us. Came for us.
This year, like last year, Christmas is met with anxieties over COVID, over the economy, over the political and cultural divisions we see, and yet, Christ comes for us. To be with us. Not to magically make it all go away – but so that we are not alone in it, and so that we can see in the hope, peace, joy, and love his coming brings, another way. And so however it is that this Christmas finds you – know that Christ is born for you. For you and with you and in you. Merry Christmas, beloved children of God.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Sarah
