Christmas Eve – Dec 24, 2021
6pm (on zoom)
Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-14
The Light of Christmas: Inside of us
Instrumental of “Go Tell it on the Mountain” played immediately before the sermon
Yes!
Go tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere;
go tell it on the mountain,
that Jesus Christ is born!
I couldn’t help but feel the joy as that hymn was ringing out!
Yet, as we continue with the 1st verse of that hymn… the lyrics settle us down into a quiet moment of reflection…before moving us back to the joyful refrain….
The 1st verse in that hymn begins in this way:
While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light.
Aaahhh….the silent flocks by night…a holy light…
A moment of rest for our weary hearts and bodies…a moment for us to “behold”…to just sit in the quiet presence of the light that pierces the dark night skies, with a moment of quiet wonder and peace…
Yet…what we heard in the scripture reading tonight…is that the shepherds weren’t exactly feeling peaceful or restful at that moment…they were terrified…
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
I get a sense that the angel somewhat quieted their fears for a moment with this bewildering good news of great joy for all the people…the angel even assures them that there will be a sign for them…so they know for sure that what the angels were proclaiming was true about the birth of a Savior…. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Aaahhh….OK…all is well now…the shepherd’s fears are put to rest…
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God is pleased.”
What, what, what? What is all of this? What is happening? What is this joyful, glorious sound we hear? Where is all this light coming from? What does it all mean? Now what?
I imagine the shepherds are a bit terrified and joyful all at once right now, AGAIN……and at tomorrow’s Christmas Day service, we will hear a continuation of this gospel story…to find out what they do next….
For tonight, as we listen to this beloved Christmas gospel, in the midst of a pandemic that we thought would be all over by now… this is what I’m wrestling with and wondering aloud with all of you….
I’m wondering if you, too can relate to the fluctuation and flurry of the shepherd’s emotions in tonight’s gospel reflection….the ups and downs, the fears and wonderment, the joy and the hope and the unknowing…and the how can this be…what is all this that is happening…the good news that rings out in joyful song that prompt us to Go tell it on the mountain…yet at other times…the good news that allows for us a moment of rest in quiet awe and wonder of the light that has always been there, waiting to be born anew in our hearts, and in our lives….
That is the good news I’m hearing tonight as we celebrate the birth of Jesus …that in all the ups and downs, the joys and the sorrows, the knowing and unknowing…The light of God’s love has always been here…waiting to be born anew in our hearts, and in our lives…not just tonight on Christmas Eve….but a light that burns in us throughout the whole year…a light that swells within each one of us, when we reach out to one another, to love one another, encourage one another, and support one another…in all the ways that we can….
Most especially….as we continue in these times of the pandemic…
Throughout our lives, there will always be a new baby being born, and another life that is ending, there will be someone who is celebrating, someone who is grieving, someone who is feeling joyful and someone who is feeling sorrowful….But, in the midst of all these human emotions and the messiness and chaos of our intertwined lives…is the fulfillment of the promise of hope, peace, and joy being born for us this night and anew every day…God is with us … God has always been with us….God will be with us for all of our days to come….
That is what we celebrate on this special night: God is with us … The light of God’s love, the Love of Christmas that is inside each one of us….
Rev Julie Platson
St Peter’s by the Episcopal Church
Sitka, AK
Music Offering: The Light of Christmas (an original piece by Kevin Keating – Dec 19, 2021)
This year
I'm alone in the wintertime
And the snow isn't falling
And the world doesn't smell of pine
This year
All the carols are sung silently
And the candles are all snuffed out
But a fire starts inside of me
It's the light of Christmas burning
The flames of joy and peace
The warmth of knowing no matter how cold
The love of Christmas is inside of me
This year
We might not be all together
And the churches might be empty
And the distance feels like forever
This year
Might be harder than any other year
And the night sky might be cloudy
But a single star shines clear
It's the light of Christmas burning
The flames of joy and peace
The comfort of always feeling like I'm home
The love of Christmas is inside of me
And I can feel it swelling up
And reaching through the void
It's Christmas as no matter what
I am with you
You are with me
We are with everyone
The light of Christmas is burning
With flames of joy and peace
And life everlasting and world harmony
The love of Christmas is inside of me
And inside of you