Luke 2:8-16 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and 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. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. 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 he favors!" When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.
I offer to you an adaptation of “A Meditation about Christmas” by Howard Thurman -
There must be always remaining in every man’s life some place for the singing of angels. Someplace for that which is in itself breathlessly beautiful and, by an inherent prerogative, throwing all the rest of life into new and creative relatedness. Something that gathers up in itself all the freshets of existence from drab and commonplace areas of living and glows in one bright light of penetrating beauty and meaning… then passes. The common place is shot through now with new glory. Old burdens become lighter. Deep and ancient wounds lose much of their old, old hurting. A crown is placed over our heads which for the rest of our lives we are trying to grow tall enough to wear. Despite all of the crassness of life, despite all of the hardness, despite all of the harsh discords of life, life is saved by the singing of angels.
-"Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people "-
It is of profoundest significance that the gospel story, particularly in the book of Luke, reveals that the announcement of the birth of Jesus came first to simple shepherds who were about their appointed tasks. Whatever else theology and tradition may add to or extrapolate from the nativity story, the birth of Jesus remains the symbol of the dignity and the inherent worthfulness of the common man. Stripped bare of art form and liturgy, the literal substance of the story remains: Jesus Christ was born in a stable. He was born of humble parentage in surroundings that are the common lot of those who earn their living by the sweat of their brow. Nothing can rob the common man of this heritage. When he beholds Jesus he sees in him the possibilities of life even for the humblest, and a dramatic revelation of the significance and meaning of God.
-"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"-
If the theme of angel’s song is to find fulfillment in the world, it will be through the common man becoming aware of his true worthfulness and asserting his generic prerogative as a child of God.
Joseph Hill
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