And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
As the well-known holiday song says, Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year!” It’s a time of lights and laughter, family and friends. It’s a time when our whole culture seems to be kinder, happier and more generous. But at the same time, most of us would also agree that Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year as well! We cram extra things into our already busy schedules – things like office and neighborhood parties, trips to the mall to do our Christmas shopping, and Christmas concerts at school. Students often face end-of-semester exams right before Christmas and there are family visits to grandma’s house to make.
I remember the year when I had to make an extra trip to the hardware store to buy an extension cord so that I could fix a problem with our Christmas lights. As I approached the check-out counters I noticed that the line at one of the registers was quite long while the other was very short. So, being in a hurry, I jumped into the short line. Within 30 seconds or so a kind-looking lady who could have been someone’s grandma was ringing up my purchase. Suddenly, a fellow in the long line starts yelling, “Hey lady! How come you’re helping THAT GUY when we’ve been stuck over here in this line for 10 minutes? Can we get a little help here?!” Since I was “THAT GUY” I just kind of put my head down and thanked the poor woman and hurried out of the store. But I remember thinking to myself, “The most wonderful time of the year, indeed!”
“Peaceful” would probably not be the word to describe Jesus’ arrival into this world. Israel was occupied by the armies of the pagan Roman Empire. Caesar Augustus had decided to levy a new tax and required all Jewish families to return to the patriarch’s birthplace to register for the tax. Imagine the chaos that would ensue if our government tried the same thing today! Roads, airports and hotels would be jammed and people would be stressed and angry! On top of all this, Mary and Joseph had to make the 80 mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem on foot, or at best, with Mary on the back of a donkey – while she was 9-months pregnant. Not exactly a peaceful time!
Yet, in the midst of all this, an extraordinary message comes to the shepherds from Heaven itself:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
“Peace.” What kind of peace is this – that comes when our world is turning upside down? What kind of peace comes when everything about our circumstances says anxiety and stress?
The word “peace” used by the angels in this story is anchored in the Old Testament understanding of “shalom” – which was a Hebrew word that carried the meaning of “possessing adequate resources for completion” and almost always was used in the context of the presence and power of God himself. This “peace” is not anchored, therefore, in the circumstances of our lives – but in a person – a person who is the presence and power of God himself. This, then, is a peace that we can experience not only in the absence of trouble or pain – but in the midst of trouble and pain!
In the midst of this busy and stressful season – may you know the presence and power of the one the prophet called the “Prince of Peace!”
Brian Coffey
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