But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10
If you’ve been reading these reflections over the last month, you’ve read a lot about waiting that is marked by the season of Advent. And today on Christmas, we remember and celebrate the end of the waiting for Jesus’s birth. God in the flesh, here with us on earth. Jesus the Deliverer, Messiah, Savior, Most High Priest, Carpenter, Prince of Peace, Redeemer, Miracle Worker, Liberator, and Rescuer, has arrived in the flesh for all people.
For me and probably for a lot of us, candlelight Christmas Eve services hold a special place in my heart. The telling of the story of Jesus’s birth in favorite songs and re-enactments, the glow from the whole church lit up by candles, the evening service, and despite all the chaos that also goes along with the rest of the Christmas season, these moments in church can create a beautiful and comforting experience.
Pastors, of course, remind us that this is only the beginning of the story. The redemption that comes from the fraught journey to Good Friday and the mystery and power of the resurrection that we celebrate on Easter, is what restores true peace.
But the angels words here in Luke 2:10 do tell us that the intent all along was always good news…”great joy for all people.”
So when we go back to our regular day to day, when we go back to the waiting for an end to oppression, injustice, anxiety, and all the other burdens of this life, we have a taste through these sweet words, of what God intends for us and what God ultimately has in store for us because of Easter, and that is good news worth sharing.
Loving Creator, renew our hope and confidence in you, and bring us and all people everlasting peace. Amen.
Julia Frank is Director of Community Outreach for Liberty Lutheran and Lutheran Congregational Services.
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