Merry Christmas, this liturgy celebrates the birth of Christ and our own children of St. Lawrence. We would all like to give a great big thank you
to our children and music family for telling the story of Jesus birth.
Now, the words I am about to say are meant for the children, but in the words of Paul,
you others who are God-fearing, listen.
Tonight we began the Gospel with a whole list of people’s names.
Those are the names of people in Jesus family; his great-great pap-paws and great-great
mam-maws. They are all an important part of Jesus’ story. They are part of the
story of Jesus birth that has been retold again and again over the past 2000
years.
Today more are added to the list of people telling the story of
Jesus birth, the children of St. Lawrence. Even their parents, grandparents, and
great-grandparents have been part of telling the story of a baby born in Bethlehem.
A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger who changed the world.
The baby
Jesus changed Mary. An angel of God came to Mary
and greeted her - Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you. Do not be afraid,
Mary, for you have found favor with God.
The baby
Jesus changed Joseph. An angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph and said Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid to take Mary as you wife.
The baby
Jesus changed the shepherds. The angel
of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them.... The
angel said Do not be afraid; for
behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy.
The baby
Jesus changed the world. All this
took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the
virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which
means God with us.
The baby
Jesus changed the smartest and most worldly
people at that time - the magi, wise men, kings – they were not afraid to come
and worship him for they knew of the promise of his birth.
The baby Jesus changes us. So, do not to be afraid, because the baby Jesus is good news of great joy for the world. The
baby Jesus is the glory of the Lord.
The baby Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.
God with us is the baby Jesus. So, God knows what it is like to be
one of us. Baby Jesus was probably hungry. Like all babies he had to have his swaddling
clothes changed. He cried and he laughed and he was loved.
As he grew up he lost his baby teeth and grew new ones. He was upset
and probably got a belly ache once or twice. He was picked on and bullied. He
even scared his parents by getting lost.
As a baby, Jesus, God came to live a life just like you and I. He experience
life as a young child, a teenager, and an adult. He knows what it is like to be
a one of us.
We have to remember his earth family, Mary and Joseph, the
shepherds, wise men, and angels to tell the story of Jesus’ nativity so that
the world remembers what Christmas is really about.
The presents we receive at Christmas are great. The greatest present
the world was ever given was the baby Jesus, so we can know great joy
and not be afraid. We may all not understand how
great a gift that is now, but if you believe in Jesus, one day you will.
Thank you Mary, joseph, Angels, Shepherds, Wise Men, Narrator, and
Musicians for helping us tell the story of Jesus’ birth. Merry Christmas -
everyone.
Tonight especially, as a gift to the baby Jesus, be good, be holy,
love one another, and tell someone about the baby Jesus and that because of him
you do not have to be afraid. Amen
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