A Holiday Tradition:
A story of hope, comfort.
It’s been a stormy year, literally and figuratively. At home, across the country and around the world, people have been buffeted by overwhelming events — hurricanes, wildfires, terrorist attacks, mass shootings, political and social upheavals. Still a resilient spirit endures, buoyed by hope.
Sometimes it takes tragedy or disaster to reveal it, when people both sturdy and frail find common ground as survivors, knit together by their resistance to adversity. Think of #OrlandoUnited since the Pulse nightclub tragedy. Think of our neighborhoods after Hurricane Irma. Think of those in Puerto Rico who defied Maria’s wrath, and now find refuge in Central Florida or stand ready to rebuild their lives on the island.
Waiting is hard. It’s hard waiting for debris to be cleared and power to be restored after a storm. It’s hard waiting for a job when someone has exhausted patience as well as finances. It’s hard waiting for a miracle when a life-threatening illness looms. It’s hard living amid violence; too many neighborhoods near us do — perhaps even our own — as do countless people in countless regional tinderboxes scattered throughout the world.
Waiting for the world to change has always been hard. This is true at the end of 2017. It was true 2,000 years ago. But hope, which can bring deliverance from hardship, often begins in reaching out to others.
Today we continue our annual tradition of publishing the Christmas story as told by the Apostle Luke, about the birth of a child who would grow up to comfort others and calm the storm. May it be a source of hope for everyone, believers and nonbelievers alike, as a tempestuous year concludes.
AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THOSE DAYS, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. — Luke 2:1-20