Christmas Reflections

I admit it. I am kind of slow to leave things. It is part of my reflective nature.

While people pack up their Christmas decorations, mine stay up until Epiphany.

I like to linger around the Christmas narrative in the Scriptures. Like pulling arugula out of my garden this week (yes it is still growing!), while most in the region have set their gardens to sleep, mine continues to give little but delicious culinary delights. This morning I saw a repetitive phrase in the Gospels.

With the announcement of Christ's birth to the main people came the words:
"Do not be afraid." Interesting all of these were in conjunction with angelic visits.

Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist heard it first. Luke 1.13
He was in the Holy Place of the temple, lighting the incense. The darkened area suddenly was lit up with Gabriel's glow. The good news was Elizabeth, his wife, was going to have a son in her old age.

The next visit was to Mary, in the town of Nazareth. Luke 1. 30
Once again Gabriel brought wonderful news. Because Mary was troubled at the greeting and full of wonder, Gabriel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary."
Her fear was rooted in her humility.

When the news of Mary's pregnancy is revealed to Joseph, he has in mind to stop the consummation of the marriage by a quiet divorce. An Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream once again with these very words, "Do not be afraid." This was in reference to Joseph going ahead with the marriage, even though he knew that he was not the father of the baby Mary was carrying. He obeyed immediately.

Finally, on the night Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Angels appeared to shepherds out in the fields nearby. As the Glory of God lit up that field, the words once again were, "Do not be afraid." These guys were terrified. We would have been too! One minute you are out there with your pupils adjusted to the midnight darkness,the next second the sky lights up and the fields are brighter than ever and there is an angel talking to you!

The Gospel is the Good News. The Good News includes these words, "Do not be afraid."