The nativity of our Lord: December 25, 2004

Isaiah 52:7-10

Psalm 98

Hebrews 1-4 [5-12]

John 1:1-14

First Reading

Psalm 98 gives us the theme for these services beginning with Christmas Day and extending to The Baptism of Our Lord. Psalm 98 tells us to sing a new song to God.

Four ideas come forth from this text. First, this song is not the same as a psalm. While the singer is praising God, this song comes from the universe and must be shared with the inhabitants of the universe. This is a song that celebrates the joy of being God's chosen people. Second, the psalmist tells us that we are to sing to God. Singing is not the same as shouting. This song is not a fight song from the local sports team. This is a song from the heart of music that wells up from God's cosmos. Third, the need for a new song arises because old songs are not sufficient in view of the process of renewal initiated by God for all of the cosmos. Finally, the lyrics of the new song show the power of faith to move onward focusing on the future.

The theme of a creation that sings its thanks back to God is carried forth in the reading from Isaiah. These verses are a part of the third servant song that celebrates the salvation of Jerusalem. According to Isaiah 52:8, "Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion." Historically we know that these sentinels would have been standing upon the ruined walls of a devastated city. In the midst of destruction, the people begin to echo the song of the Lord.

As one reads into the New Testament lessons, the idea of the new song can be concretized first through an understanding of the Greek translation of "new song." The Koine Greek word kainos often translates the Hebrew word used by the psalmist. Kainos carries with it the meanings that this new thing, this new song, is unusual and possibly never heard before. This new song is of the highest excellence. Kainos expresses the idea that the new thing is new to those who receive it, but it is also a new experience for the one who is creating. Consequently, through the new song something unique is prepared for the creation and for God. At the same time, the human artists are surprised and transformed by this new song.

The Prologue of the Gospel of John provides some of the content for the new song that creatures sing to the creator. This new song must be a reflection of the wondrous song that God has sung through and to the cosmos. The author of the Prologue sends our imaginations backward to the moments before creation. The creation story in Genesis describes God as creating through the word. God speaks order into chaos. God speaks light into darkness and life into the void of the universe.

In the context of Psalm 98, the reader can creatively transform God's speech into song. The Prologue would then tell the story of God singing the Word through time before the universe began. Pros ton theon, "in the beginning the word was turned toward God." This is how one commentator translates John 1:1. The first singing of the song was within God's self. God and the Word sing together before the creation. Both God and the Word are unique voices in the song, but they sing together in the harmony that flows from the intimacy of the Godhead. Creation becomes the point where God teaches the song, the Word to the cosmos.

The creation receives the song but fails to learn the music, the uniqueness of the harmonies, the preciousness of the message. So the Gospel author tells us that God again sings this precious song--this time for all the creation to hear. God sings out the Word that is [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII], the one and only authentic light. This time, the song enters into the center of life in the incarnation of Jesus the Christ.

It is important to the Gospel author to remind the faithful that the incarnation is not a new act on the part of God. Rather the Christmas event of the incarnation is the continuation of God's plan that was begun before the cosmos took form.

Pastoral Reflection

In the process of birth, according to the Lamaze method, there is a stage of labor called transition. One nurse described this as the time where the process moves from casual to the serious business of bringing new life into the world. In the transition stage, contractions increase in intensity and frequency. Emotions of the soon-to-be mother and all in attendance are intensified. Anticipation of the new life and yet fear of the pain increases.

The hymn "When Long before Time" (With One Voice #799) captures these competing emotions. A solo voice or a choir can begin Christmas Day with this hymn demonstrating that the faithful stand at a point of transition. As a transition it raises for the hearer the opposing emotions of anticipation and fear. With anticipation and rejoicing the believer hears the promise in John 1: God has never abandoned the cosmos. In fact, God has been and promises to be in constant activity with and through the entire universe. With excitement, the preacher and congregation begin to sing the song that God and the Word sang before the creation. In the light of Christmas Day, we, the faithful, celebrate this song that was just last night sung by the multitude of heavenly hosts.