Christmas Eve Will Find Me

Some thoughts from the old testament reading for tonight....

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light

It's the first prophecy we present in the Atrium. Such a basic earthy image. In darkness, and then a light. A match struck when electricity goes out. The flashlight shining into a cave. Utter blackness replaced with a focal point. Therese, my atrium partner, says that this is the one children come back to most often and becomes one that they repeat in their heads long after they're out of the Atrium. One older child came back to her later and repeated those words as the thing he remembered most.

upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.

This time of December after an autumn of rain and chill, the gray skies and dull sunset all day long. To suddenly have a sunrise that makes you blink, makes you focus and see again.

You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,

Nothing more satisfying than bringing in a harvest of something you've grown or produced. Canning strawberry jam, picking apples in the fall sunshine, slicing pumpkins up to bake and then freeze. Being amazed by how many jalapenos grew in that shady spot in the backyard or putting up 45 quarts of green beans in a basement kitchen. Biting into that first tomato you've nursed into being, standing in your kitchen smiling at your husband, oh, you have to try this.

as people make merry when dividing spoils.

Take whatever you want, I don't need any of it anymore. Whether it's 18 boxes of wool yarn or classroom shelves of manipulatives or books from deceased relatives I've never met or...I've never had spoils of war but I have divvy'ed up lots of things received through no work of my own.


For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
will be burned as fuel for flames.

How to say no to war in a jingoistic culture of "freedom isn't free"? How do we hear these words and reconcile them with the idea of living in a nation that has been at war or in some sort of occupation or police action pretty much my entire lifetime? Burned as fuel for flames.


For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.

Again, in the atrium, we ask the question, "what sort of names are these, for a newborn baby? What does this mean for what this child will grow up and become?" So often small children have a disconnect between the Infant Jesus and the person of Christ, especially crucified. Maeve didn't grasp this, perhaps doesn't grasp this yet. It is one thing to have a cozy hazy view of baby surrounded by friendly farm animals and shepherds (even though as "cozy" goes, that doesn't sound so good to me) and another to connect this tiny baby to the events of Holy Week. I think most adults, too, know this intellectually but miss it in their hearts.

His dominion is vast
and forever peaceful,
from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
which he confirms and sustains
by judgment and justice,
both now and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!

Peaceful. Justice. Vast dominion. Now and forever. The kingdom of God is like...how can we put it into human terms, anyway?

I know I'm late in getting this done. In the end, my Christmas Eve was a whirlwind of activity. I should have more to say soon on South City. It's been quite a week. A long week--last Saturday I was picking up Christmas trees for church with Doug in his truck and it feels like a month ago. A lot more like Holy Week than Christmas week has ever been for me, in fact. Which somehow seems really appropriate after writing this blog.