It can be said that night is a time when we are most vulnerable to distress. We might remember sleepless nights when a child’s illness, or our own, caused a fever to spike, coughing, congestion, or pain to escalate, or other maladies of body or soul to predominate. Fear, uncertainty, grief over the loss of loved ones, and disappointments in our lives, can also be more noticeable at night. In fact, shorter daylight hours in the north during fall and winter have even been connected with a kind of depression called “Seasonal Affective Disorder.”
Scripture is full of references to a world in distress and our need for a Savior. History testifies to the distress endured by the faithful through all the ages and their reliance on Emmanuel who is God with us. The songs of our Advent preparation and even our Christmas carols proclaim the comfort and joy which comes from the birth of Christ which breaks through the darkness of our world.
The angels appeared to the shepherds and proclaimed the birth of Christ at night, a time when they were most aware of their vulnerabilities to danger. The message of the angel to the shepherds is God’s message to us as well: “Do not be afraid, for to us, and for us, a Savior is born, who is Christ the Lord.” God’s glory broke through the darkness of their night, proclaiming the birth of the long-awaited Savior and bringing light into their darkness, hope in the midst of doubt and despair, and comfort and joy in the midst of fear and sorrow. This is indeed good news of great joy! This is indeed cause to rejoice! God has become one of us! Jesus Christ is born!
But the story of the shepherds doesn’t end there. The gospel text tells us that the shepherds, themselves shepherded by this good news, made known to others what had been revealed to them. As a church, we have been preparing for this Christmas message of comfort and joy. The weeks of Advent have been a time of preparation and hope; we have reflected on the promise of a mighty savior to free us from our distress. Now, just as John the baptizer prepared the way before Jesus’ birth, we are called to prepare the way for Jesus to come into hearts and lives today; and, like the shepherds, let us make known to those in our world who sit in darkness and distress yearning for peace and salvation, that our Savior Jesus Christ comes and brings us light and life!
+Wilma S. Kucharek
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!…Let ev’ry heart prepare him room and heaven and nature sing….
No more let sin and sorrow grow nor thorns infest the ground; he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found….(ELW 267)
