A Poem a Sunday
Christmas Eve/Day
December 24/25, 2017
St. Luke 2:1-20 - NRSV
The Birth of Jesus
2 In
those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be
registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius
was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered.
4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the
city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and
family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was
engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time
came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn
son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there
was no place for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 In
that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their
flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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: 11 to you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is the Messiah,[a] the Lord. 12 This will be a
sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a
manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host,[b] praising God and saying,
15 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.” 16 So they went with haste and found
Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this,
they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who
heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary
treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it
had been told them.
Footnotes:
A
Poem a Sunday
Christmas
Eve / Day - B
Pondering
But
Mary treasured all these words
and
pondered them in her heart.
Stars dust
the lingering
shadows
of the eerie night.
Darkness has
its privileges
when shimmering
in the moonlight.
Spotlight on the
stepping stones
that she steps
on one by one.
It is a subversive
journey to another
land
where just maybe
her hopes and
dreams
will stand
the light of day.
Right now
in dreamy starlight
she welcomes
every step
inching her way
to freedom
from those who
oppress
the many songs of
justice
she sang with
pregnant mirth
when what seems
like ages ago
she delivered her
first birth:
child who loved the
starlight,
loved the
shimmering of the night;
child with great
compassion;
prophet with
insight.
She runs the
haunting
forth and back
to Bethlehem.
Searching for
her lost son
rumored to have
risen.
Copyright
2017 @ A Poem a Sunday
May be
used with permission
kennstorck@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment