Christmas Day I

And is it true? The choices of lessons for Christmas Day approach that question in two ways. St. Luke tells us the story, a story we’ve heard year by year. Because we are so familiar with the tale, its truth may not engage us anymore. Yes, it’s a beautiful story. A young girl gives birth…

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams preached his Christmas sermon at Canterbury Cathedral on Dec. 25. The full text follows.     ‘This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet’. Phrases like this echo like a refrain through the nativity stories in the Gospels – and indeed the stories of Jesus’ trial…

On Christmas morning a couple of years ago, I was walking down Eleventh Street in New York’s Greenwich Village, to prepare for the eleven-o’clock service at my former church. There, at the curb, was someone’s Christmas tree, laid out for the trash truck. Now, can you imagine this? It was 9:30 a.m. on Christmas Day,…

“Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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.’” There is a clergy person who, like many others,…

The indigenous peoples of Hawaii are peoples of oral tradition, at least that’s what some Hawaiian people say today—perhaps as an excuse or, jokingly, to get away from too much paperwork. Today, the indigenous peoples of Hawaii are literate because of the great work done by missionaries who brought Christianity, the Bible, and formal education…

His authority shall grow continuallyand there shall be endless peace. (Isaiah) Glory to God in the highest heavenAnd on earth, peace. (Luke) On this wondrous day, when our Advent anticipation culminates in the awaited birth of Jesus, we find ourselves still waiting for the fulfillment of the promises of Christmas, we are still waiting for…

Think about it. A pregnant unwed teenage girl is going with her boyfriend to a strange town. The baby is born while they are there. They couldn’t find a proper place to stay, so they made do with a space in a stable. The girl believed that the baby was conceived through the action of…

We have finally arrived at the loveliest day (night) of the year. We all love stories, and there has never been a more beautiful nor a more hopeful story than the one told by St. Luke in the passage we have just heard. How many times have you heard this story? Have you memorized it?…

Christmas Day and a 3 year old asked what were we going to do tonight. Her response. “We are going to wish Jesus happy birthday and thank you.” If I had any sense I would stop talking and let that stand as the sermon. It does pretty well sum it all up. I guess I…

It seems like only yesterday that our kids were babies. I will never forget my shock at how small they were — it didn’t seem possible that a person could be that little and still be all right! I was nervous about holding them at first. I was afraid I would do something wrong and…