LUKE 2:13-14

Think back to a time when you were swept away by the emotion of music. Maybe it was the “Star Spangled Banner” or “America the Beautiful” being performed shortly after 9/11. Maybe it was the theme from Dr. Zhivago, or Julie Andrews bringing the hills alive on the big screen with “The Sound of Music”, or “Jumpin' Jack Flash” from your first row seat at a Rolling Stones Concert in the 1970s. Pretty good stuff, right?

Now imagine the heavens opening up to singing angels, for example, the night Christ was born. As the saying goes, that's what I'm talkin' about!

It's pretty easy to do, really. The toughest part might be finding a place where you can look into the heavens unobstructed by city light. Anyway, look up into the night sky without searching for the big dipper or the planets on the horizon. Without turning your senses toward something familiar, just let the vastness of the universe sink in a little bit.

Now think about Mary, the Mother of God, holding Jesus up in her arms while all who are present marvel. It stops you right in your tracks, doesn’t it? The whole universe is watching, and rejoicing. This is one of the most important moments in eternity--It is, it was, and it always will be. And the heavens are ringing with joy.

No Rogers and Hammerstein, no Jagger and Richards, John Williams, or Ludwig Van Beethoven can stand up to this moment.

The sound of the heavenly hosts singing alleluia is like nothing you have ever heard before. It permeates your being, lifting you up to a moment of inexplicable fulfillment. This sound is heaven itself, an incredible reality, the vastness of eternity, a promise true enough to keep you singing for a lifetime, "Be Not Afraid."

Now, while you're treading through your visit here on earth, go get your Holy Communion each Sunday. Stand in line in the New Jerusalem with a contrite heart, and take the body and blood of Christ along with your brothers and sisters. Sing praises to his name--that's why we are here. Join in the unending hymn of praise. As it turns out, we don't have to wait for a clear night.

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men."

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Postscript

One of my kids who shall remain unnamed says, "Dad, is there any way we can skip all the what-I'm-thankful-for prayers at Aunt L's this year? They get a little, ahem, redundant, you know." A quick glance around the table tells me everyone is in agreement, and they have discussed this in advance of bringing it up to me.

"As a matter of fact," I reply, "I've been working on a special prayer for this year. It should take about a half an hour..."

"Dad!" comes the cry in unison. It's always fun to suffer a little humorous indignation.

The skip-it movement won out on some level as our hosts gave a brief blessing, but invited us to share our Thanksgiving around the dinner table. After all, the pressure of speaking out around a prayer circle (we like to call it “Protestant Grace”) can be intimidating, forcing some of us to stick to the basics, creating some, ahem, redundant performances. In the end, we had a terrific dinner conversation, with several family members, young and old, sharing their thanks in a relaxed, if not boisterous, atmosphere.

My dinner pitch was this--Thanksgiving can be transforming. Give thanks to God first thing in the morning. Before you get out of bed, give thanks for your spouse, for your children, your parents, your siblings, for your home, your church, for the community you live in, for America…

You've just changed your entire outlook on the day by praising God right off. You have your priorities straight. You are prepared to meet your family and daily business, whatever it may be, with your heart in the right place.

You didn't start with your worries. You didn't start with negativity and stress. You didn't start by putting your heart in the wrong place. You didn't undermine your interactions before you got started.

Do the same thing before you go to sleep at night. Give thanks to God for all the blessings of the day. We often skip over the victories with a sigh of relief. "OK, that worked out--next!" Give it more time than that. Victory deserves celebration.

Turn what could be redundant thanksgiving into a study of God’s works. The profound joy you get from your child’s life, for example, is full of rich detail. There is deep wisdom to be had in contemplating and appreciating what you have.

Have you tried it yet? Transforming, isn't it? Here’s some Thanksgiving with resonance:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David,as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages:
to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers,to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father,that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies –in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path,to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven.Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death;to lead our feet in the path of peace.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.