A Gift for All Creation – 27 December 2020
In his play Sweet Bird of Youth, Tennessee Williams has a heckler address the mistress character Miss Lucy, saying, “I believe that the silence of God, the absolute speechlessness of God, is a long, long and awful thing.” I wonder if the silence of God accounts for the majority of those who pull away from the church or abandon faith. Such silence would make skeptics of the best of us. Yet it is against such a backdrop that Isaiah offers a promise of hope to come. –– Sara Webb Phillips
Luke 2:22-40
In accordance with the law of Moses and because of their devoutness, Mary and Joseph take the newborn infant Jesus to the temple for ‘‘their purification’’ and to offer the appropriate sacrifice. According to some commentators, a couple of things are happening here in this story: the purification of Mary after having given birth; and the presentation of the child to God in the temple that is accompanied by the required sacrifice.
Guided by the Spirit to go to the temple, Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Simeon takes the infant in his arms and immediately knows that this child is the holy one of God. Simeon praises God and announces that he is ready to die, for he has seen God’s salvation. Simeon proclaims that this salvation is for all peoples—‘‘a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to [God’s] people Israel’’ (v 32). Simeon is honest in the midst of his proclamation and announces that this same child of salvation will create division as well. The child will be opposed and rejected.
Anna, a devout prophet, announces to all concerning the Holy Child. Anna confirms what Simeon has already said. This Gospel selection ends with the family completing all of the religious requirements and then returning to Nazareth, where Jesus grew up—strong, wise, and in the favor of God. –– Eric T. Myers
Galatians 4:4-7
With minds usually swirling from all the details of the celebration of Christ’s birth, the church does not often stop during the holidays to ponder what Christ’s coming means. But Paul reminds the Galatians and us that in God’s time God sent his Son. It was God’s doing. God sent the Son to redeem the law-laden. God has made adop- tion possible. The slave is now a child, an heir. The child who calls God Abba—Daddy—will be loved forever. –– Eric T. Myers
Isaiah 61:10––62:3
In the Gospel text, Anna echoes Isaiah’s hope for Jerusalem. The resto- ration of Israel will be a sign and vision to the world to learn ‘‘of the beauty of the Lord’s love’’ (David L. Bartlett, Nancy Koester, K. C. Hanson, Gerard S. Sloyan, New Proclamation, Year B [Minneapolis: Fortress, 1999] 52). ‘‘What Simeon has awaited and what he sees in Jesus is really the anointed of the Lord (v 26). As a prophet, Simeon blessed God for a twofold mercy. Jesus is Messiah, God’s gift to Israel. Jesus is also Isaiah’s light to the nations. Precisely by being God’s gift to Israel, he is God’s gift to the whole world, since Israel serves a light that is not limited to Israel alone (ibid., 51). –– Sara Webb Phillips
Eric T. Myers, a former church musician, is pastor of Frederick Presbyterian Church in Frederick, Maryland, and adjunct professor of worship at Wesley Theological Seminary.
Sara Webb Phillips is a United Methodist minister serving Grace UMC in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a former co-editor of the journal Liturgy published quarterly by The Liturgical Conference.
Homily Service 42, no. 1 (2008): 58-66