Christmas Day 2020
Dec 25, 2020
Isaiah 62:6-12; Psalm 97; Luke 2: 8-20
Prayer:
God of unimaginable love, God of all humanity, God of the shepherds and the angels, God of the manger, God of deliverance, God of birth, God of Christmas: We give you thanks on this Christmas morning for the gifts of love, light, hope, peace and joy, you have given us in the yearly remembrance of Christ’s birth, and as we once again celebrate Your coming into Your creation. Open our hearts and our hands to share these indescribable gifts, with all who have been entrusted to our care, with our neighbors and with all of creation. This with pray with thanksgiving and gratitude from our hearts to the One who is come among us…. Joy to the Word…the Lord is come… Amen. (Adapted from a prayer written by Brad Offutt)
Now what?
What do we do with all these gifts given for us today?
After a silent, holy night, the joy is much more palpable today…but maybe some of us are still a little hesitant to let the joy bubble up and out into our daily lives…it’s been a difficult year…
We caught our breath last night…we paused to collectively take a deep breath… apart, but together.
We listened to the familiar stories, the scriptures, the songs, the music; we embraced moments of silence, and listening, and candle-lighting…perhaps there were tears of sorrow that turned to tears of joy last night….all beautiful things to help us return to the true reason for our Christmas celebrations…Joy to the World…the Lord is come….
Now what?
Will you allow the good news proclaimed on Christmas Day, move you to believe in joy again? To live with joy again? To trust in the joy of the Lord, in all circumstances and in all matters under heaven and on earth?
Will you dare to be filled with wonder and awe again, like the shepherds were, at the sight of all they had seen and heard?
Will you go, and tell others about this wonderous God and the Joy that was restored in your heart this day?
Will you allow yourself to be amazed every time you hear the Good News proclaimed on Christmas Day….Joy to the World…the Lord is come….
Will you dare to say, Yes, like Mary… and allow your spirit to rejoice in God our Savior?
Will you treasure all these words and ponder them in your heart…as Mary did?
Will you return again and again to God, glorifying and praising God for the gifts given to all of humanity and all of creation….the gifts of love, light, hope, peace and joy…
Now what?
These gifts are meant to be shared…so go now…share your love, your light, your hopes, your peace, and especially your joy…share all of this…from your heart to the heart of God, and all of God’s beloved….
In this bleak midwinter, the whole world needs to hear the good news proclaimed on Christmas Day…. Joy to the World…the Lord is come…
Rev Julie Platson
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, Sitka, AK
Hymn after the sermon: In the bleak midwinter
Sung by Ali Hosford