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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

SCRIPTURE: James 3:13-18

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

CHRISTMASTIDE REFLECTION

Basil (329-379), Bishop of Caesarea, was influential in development of monasticism in the Eastern Orthodox church. Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390), known as “The Theologian” by the Greeks, served as the Archbishop of Constantinople.  Gregory had significant impact on Trinitarian theology and the doctrine that Jesus was fully God and fully man.  They were both born in the area of Cappadocia, Turkey and studied together in Athens. They were friends throughout their lives and, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, developed the backbone of Eastern Orthodoxy and monasticism during a period of doctrinal struggle and confusion. They are also honored in the Western church. Basil famously wrote:  “The bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity that you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit.”  Basil’s words exemplify the wisdom that Jesus practiced in his life on this earth.  During this Christmastide, we should reflect upon where we seek wisdom. Is our notion of wisdom based on God’s goodness, mercy, and joy or more on the secular worldview of wisdom?  How does following Jesus help make us wiser, more peace-loving, considerate, humble, and merciful.

COLLECT:  Written by Collects are short general prayers used in Christian liturgy to draw our focus of worship.  .  The collect today is from the Church of England Book of Common Worship.

Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end: bring us with the whole creation to your glory, hidden through past ages and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Anthem Lights: Go Tell It On The Mountain

IMAGE: Jeanie Truitt: Go Tell It Over the Mountain

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:15-21

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

CHRISTMASTIDE REFLECTION

According to Jewish tradition, a baby was circumcised eight days after his birth and was the occasion where the child was formally given his name. The circumcision of Jesus has traditionally been seen as the first time the blood of Christ was shed, and thus began the process of the redemption of man. It was also a demonstration that Christ was fully human and showed obedience to Biblical law.  In more recent decades, the feast day has focused increasingly on the day that Jesus was named. Jesus’ name in Hebrew was “Yeshua” which translates to English as Joshua. When Yeshua was translated into Greek (the language of the New Testament) it becomes “lesous,” which in English is Jesus. So often today the loving name of Jesus, which is so powerful and tied to salvation, is invoked casually and often in vain.  Honor the name of Jesus, who is the King of Kings.  Honor His name, this day and throughout the year.

COLLECT:  Written by Collects are short general prayers used in Christian liturgy to draw our focus of worship.  The collect today is from the Book of Common Prayer

Almighty God, your blessed Son fulfilled the covenant of circumcision for our sake, and was given the Name that is above every name: Give us grace faithfully to bear his Name, and to worship him with pure hearts according to the New Covenant; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Hillsong Worship: What a Beautiful Name.

IMAGE: Albrecht Durer:  The Circumcision of Christ

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