A
week or so ago I stepped into the Urban Bakery, a coffee shop at the
corner of Green Lake Way North and Wallingford Ave on the north side
of the lake. It was early. The streets were pretty deserted. The cafe
was empty except for two other old guys. While I was waiting on my
sandwich, I eavesdropped on their conversation. As is common these
days, their talk focused on their worries about national affairs. At
one point, one of the old guys said, “I'm not worried about myself.
I've had a great life and I'm pretty well situated. It's my grandkids
and the world they will inherit. That's what I'm worried about.”
At
some point, as we mature, our ambitions and even our desires change.
We turn from fascination with our own successes, our own triumphs, to
the triumphs and successes or our children and grandchildren. Our
highest ambition is to see the well-being of our grandchildren.
We
endow scholarships and chairs at universities. For the kids.
We
fight for the preservation of public land so succeeding generations
can taste some of the wildness and beauty that nourished our own
souls.
We
fund programs that help disadvantaged children because we hope that
hidden somewhere among those anonymous faces is the genius who will
cure some incurable disease, the composer who will write the music
that thrill audiences for ten generations.
Full
human maturity comes when our own lives are nearly forgotten in our
ambition and longing and joy in the children yet to come.
This
happy ambition for the next generation is expressed throughout the
Bible story and reaches its climax in the Christmas story.
The
prophet promised:
Unto
us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall
be upon his shoulders.
His
name will be Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of
the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.
The
fruit of his reign will be everlasting justice. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
The
Gospel says:
Shepherds
were out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of
the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. The angel
said, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy for all people. Today, in the city of David, a Savior is
born, Christ the Lord. And this will be your sign: You will find a
baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Then vast
choir of angels appeared, praising God and singing, "Glory to
God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
(Luke 2:8-14)
The
prophet promised:
The
Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will conceive and
bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
The
Gospel says:
An
angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Joseph,
son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for the
child in her womb is conceived of the Holy Spirit. She will bring
forth a Son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save His
people from their sins." Thus was fulfilled the word of the
prophet, “The virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they
shall call His name Immanuel," which is means, "God with
us." Matthew 1:20-24
A
prophet said:
A
Star shall come out of Jacob;
A
Scepter shall rise out of Israel, (Numbers 24:17)
The
Gospel says:
After
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where
is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw his star in the East and have
come to worship him." When these Wise Men finally found their
way, they entered the house and when they saw the child with his
mother, Mary, they fell down and worshiped Him. They had opened their
treasures and present to him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
(Matthew 2)
One
of the notable women in the Old Testament was named Hannah. She was a
beloved wife and was childless. In response to her prayer and the
blessing of the high priest, she became pregnant and gave birth to
Samuel, one of the greatest of prophets. In celebration, she offered
this pray/song. She sees the impact her son will have on his world
and celebrates it as if it were already accomplished.
Do
not act with pride and haughtiness.
Do
not speak in arrogance!
For
the LORD is a God who knows what you have done;
he
has judged your actions. (In the birth of this miracle child)
The
bow of the mighty will be broken,
those
who stumble will be strengthened (because of the birth of this
miracle child)
Those
who were well fed are now starving,
those
who were starving are now full.
The
childless woman now has seven children,
and
the woman with many children wastes away.
The
LORD gives both death and life;
he
brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
The
LORD makes some poor and some rich.
He
brings some down and lifts others up.
He
lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.
He
sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor.
For
all the earth is the LORD's, and he sets the world in order. …
Those
who fight against the LORD will be shattered.
He
thunders against them from heaven;
the
LORD judges throughout the earth.
He
gives power to his king;
he
increases the strength of his anointed one." 1 Samuel 2
Then
Mary is visited by an angel and told she, too, will have a miracle
child. She echoes the words of Hannah in her prayer/song.
"Oh,
how my soul praises the Lord. 47
How
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48
For
he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and
from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For
the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
He
shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. 51
His
mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He
has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He
has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.
53
He
has filled the hungry with good things
and
sent the rich empty away. Luke 1
Now,
I will light the final candle of this Advent season, the Christ
candle, the light expressing our conviction that the baby born in a
barn and cradled in a feed box was the embodiement of the fullness of
God. And we pledge ourselves to see in every infant the embodiment of
heaven's promise and its care our highest duty.
Lighting
the Center Candle, the Christ Candle
Christ
is born.
God
is with us.
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