HELLO!

Tuesday December 16^th at 7 pm in the Sams Room is our third and final session of The First Christmas, an in-depth exploration of what the Gospels really tell us about the birth of Jesus. Authors Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan focus their attention on the two Gospels that do mention Jesus’ birth, Matthew and Luke and help us see what each is attempting to convey in their stories. As always with studies I facilitate, there is no need to have read the book to participate, nor do you need to have attended any of the previous sessions. Everyone is invited.

The final section of our text is Light, Fulfillment and Joy. “In Matthew, the star of Bethlehem shines in the night sky to guide the Magi to the place of Jesus’ birth. In Luke, the night is filled with light, radiant with the glory of God, angels bring news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds.”

I need to offer some perspective on language not found in this book but important to highlight as churches come to grips with systemic racism. We are taught from a young age everything light is good and everything dark is bad. Darkness is a creative space to God. Out of darkness God created everything that is, including light. How we use language has a profound effect on how we consider others. In the movie Malcolm X, a Christian prison chaplain is asked to explain why the Bible’s narrative is so hostile to darkness and so affirming of light. The chaplain stumbles to answer. While it is true our birth story of Jesus, and our own challenging lives, can be characterized as “light coming out of the darkness” it is important to note darkness in the Bible is not always negative and that the ways we talk about colour can influence how we consider race. Being aware, sensitive and open to discussion are part of our Christian journey.

The word “Saviour” also brings with it mixed emotions and responses. For many it is associated with being saved from our sins, the classic theology of Atonement comes to mind. But in the Bible Saviour also references “rescuer” and “deliverer”. As mentioned in previous sessions, Matthew’s Gospel presents Jesus as the new Moses, he has come to set his people free, to liberate them. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is the new Adam, the new Creation, who comes to lift up the lowly. In the Song of Simeon, Luke 2:29-32) “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before all people, a light to the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel.”

In the thirteenth century Christian mystic Meister Eckhart preached about Christmas as the birth of Christ within us through the union of God’s Spirit with our flesh. This is reinforced in the Carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, “O Holy Child of Bethlehem…be born in us today.”

I end with this prayer written by a colleague and national church staff member, Alydia Smith: Bright Shining Christ, I don’t want to be washed whiter than snow, or become the light that banishes all darkness, the fair, bright and pure one. Instead, I want to be bathed in the earth’s soil, becoming the darkness that births new life, the deep, mysterious, and mystic one. I want to be like you, Glorious, growing child of God. Amen

Peace, Kevin