Departure

It’s an ordinary day with work to do, obligations to fulfill, errands to run and commitments to keep. There seems to be no time for anything else. December is approaching and “shopping for gifts” gets added to the list. Why revisit the Christmas stories?

“One day we look up and it is winter, and where are the fall days, brisk and clear, leaves ablaze? How did we spend them, what were we doing?

We do not gauge the value of seasons by how quickly they progress from one to the next. Every season brings forth its bounty in its own time, and our life is richer when we can take time to savor the fruit of each.” – Wayne Muller

Ordinary Knowledge

It’s easy to fall into the trap of ordinary knowledge: “I already know the Christmas story, I already know what happens. There’s already too much to do.”

Yet, there’s the play of time in this story. It’s easy to forget that time and life are changing us. It’s easy to forget that for the participants in the first Christmas, the outcome was unknown. It was a mystery in the present. They were in the unfolding of the story. Their actions created the outcome. There wasn’t any certainty of a day marked on a calendar in December. If we’re stuck in “knowing” the story, its easy to dismiss the details of the Christmas story that arrive this year. We miss the gifts discovered in our present days.

Advent arrives every year –a preparation for Christmas– as the nights are getting longer and colder.

In winter we are dormant, a time for quiet generosities, and reflection on the endurance of inner light in the midst of darkness. – Wayne Muller

Imagine a Christmas Pageant

There’s a question in the book The First Christmas that kicks off “Rediscovering the Christmas Stories in 2019”:

“Suppose we imagine

a Christmas pageant based on Matthew alone.

What would it be like?”

Imagine a Christmas Pageant created by the words from Matthew
What would it be like? (While imagining, consider the definition of pageant: an elaborate colorful exhibition often with music that consists of a series of tableaux, or a loosely unified drama.)
Read pages 4-10 in “The First Christmas.”
  • What gets noticed?
  • Does anyone’s action surprise you?
Matthew’s Pageant Cast 
  • Mary
  • Joseph
  • The infant Jesus
  • Angel of the Lord
  • King Herod
  • Wise men from the East (The Magi)
  • Chief priests and scribes of the people
  • Herod’s army
  • Rachel
  • Archelaus
  • And of course, all the “extras”
From the Discussion
There are six scenes in Matthew’s pageant. We began with the first scene: Conception of Jesus and Joseph’s Dilemma.
  • Joseph demonstrates incredible faith. The complexity of Joseph’s role is revealed when he learns Mary is pregnant by the Holy Spirit. An angel appears to him in a dream. Joseph protects Mary and does as he is commanded. He doesn’t know what will happen, but he says yes.
  • We discussed the possibility of this happening in the present day. Having faith to say yes to the unknown outcome.
  • The Holy Spirit picked Joseph as the surrogate father.  Joseph will be a role model for Jesus.

After reading scene 1, we wondered why don’t we hear more about Joseph?  Why is his role overlooked in the story known so well?

Poem:  Getting to the Front of the Stable by Ann Weems – asks the question “Who put Joseph in the back of a stable?”

The Poetry of It

“We don’t attend poetry readings to demand literalist interpretations of presented works. We listen with our ears and our bodies and our memories and our hopes as words wash over us. Sometimes connections are made, and authorial creativity is furthered in the hearer. Some images dredge up deep, unprocessed pain. Some turns of phrase delight us and remind us of the unrestrained joy that is often ours as human beings dwelling upon this good earth.
We let poetry be. We let poetry do.”
– Scott Kenefake

 

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