Thursday, December 25

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalm 96: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14

Merry Christmas!

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light!”

The people have seen light in darkness.

The people have seen the light in this beautiful dark little baby boy.

“Oh, what a pretty little baby,” born to an unwed mother—the people have seen light in him.

This precious little baby boy whose earthly father is not his own—the people saw light in him.

Born in a humble, lowly, meager manger—the people saw light in him.

This child, born in modern-day Palestine, to a working-class family would be judged and ridiculed by the standards of any age. If he were born today, his name alone would raise suspicion at our borders or on our streets—or worse, be enough to justify a raid on his parents’ home. He would likely be judged by the color of his skin rather than the content of his character or the countenance of his light. His mother’s choices would be shamed. Joseph would be questioned. Jesus would be criticized for not belonging to a “proper” nuclear family and “congratulated” for “making it out of the hood” called Nazareth.

This child, born in modern-day Palestine, to a working-class family would be judged and ridiculed by the standards of any age. If he were born today, his name alone would raise suspicion at our borders or on our streets—or worse, be enough to justify a raid on his parents’ home. He would likely be judged by the color of his skin rather than the content of his character or the countenance of his light. His mother’s choices would be shamed. Joseph would be questioned. Jesus would be criticized for not belonging to a “proper” nuclear family and “congratulated” for “making it out of the hood” called Nazareth.

We celebrate him today but if Jesus was born today, he’d have a hard way to go. Jesus doesn’t fit the profile of a savior. And yet, in him, the people saw the light.

The people referenced in Isaiah lived in the “darkness” of oppression, fear, war, exile, and despair. Those in Luke lived under the darkness of an emperor who forced people to return to where they came from to be counted and taxed. The people needed a great light—and in this pretty little baby, they found it.

In my mind, I think every day can be like Christmas: filled with light and joy and hope and singing and rejoicing and “goodwill toward all”—because pretty little babies like Jesus are born every day. If only we’d choose to see the light in them.

Rev. TauVaughn Toney is Protestant Christian Chaplain.

PRAYER

May we see the light. Be the light. And free the light in all those the world tries to dim. May we find beauty in darkness. Hope in despair. Love. Justice. Peace. And salvation for all God’s children.

May that pretty little baby remind us that all is not lost—there is light in darkness.