Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
The Twelve Days of Christmas continue from Christmas through Epiphany. Still, it’s hard to resist the feeling that Christmas is past. We’ll return to work Monday, if we aren’t back already; soon we’ll pack the colorful lights, the Christmas gift boxes and the holiday CDs. Today’s reading, from near the end of Isaiah, finds the people getting back to work too. Returned to Jerusalem after years in exile, they rejoice in God’s righteousness as they face the hard work of rebuilding.
Psalm: Psalm 147
One of the half-dozen great songs of joy that conclude the book of Psalms, this memorable hymn begins with a mighty “Praise the Lord,” a shout of exultation that the ancient Hebrews sang as “Hallelu-Yah!” We praise the Lord who is near, who heals our hearts and binds our wounds; and we praise the mighty far-off God of all creation, Lord of stars and clouds, winds and waters, rain and the growing grass and all the animals and all of us, too. Praise the Lord!
Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-25;4:4-7
Our faith opens a world of grace and joy to us, Paul tells the Christians of Galatia, a group of Gentile churches in central Turkey. These words of Paul are said to have been strongly influential on Martin Luther, who relied on them in working out his theology of faith and works. But Paul doesn’t stop there! The beautiful, hope-giving verses that follow offer God’s Christmas gift to all humankind and claim us as adopted children and heirs of God through our sisterhood and brotherhood with Jesus.
Gospel: John 1:1-18
These spiritual and poetic words that begin the Gospel of John are so familiar that we may hear them without deep thought. But let’s stop to pay attention: Surely John had the creation story from Genesis in mind when he began with the very same words, “In the beginning.” Then he goes on to place Jesus, the Word, at the moment of creation, when God uttered the creative Word, “Let there be light.” He defines John the Baptist as the witness to Jesus’ divinity, and he echoes Paul’s point about Moses giving the Law while Jesus gives grace. Let’s reflect on this in the Christmas glow of knowing Christ as the Incarnate Word, the son of God.