Be not afraid... A Savior is born, Christ the Lord!

We are about to enter the season of Advent this Sunday. The time of potential, prayerful and active preparation for the first and second comings of the Lord Jesus!

We are told by St. Luke that an angel of the Lord declared to shepherds, who had the night shift, "good news of great joy "(see Luke 2:1-20). These men who were minding their business out in a field, were quite freaked out by directly encountering the glorious presence of God, can you imagine, wouldn't you be? The angel reassured them and told them why he was there, to announce what God was doing right there in Bethlehem. Further the angel told them, they would find this good news in a cave, in a manger, and that the good news was a new born baby, who was Messiah and Lord! Many of the heavenly host who apparently were listening in, couldn't contain themselves any longer, and burst upon the shepherds praising God for his great glory and for initiating his long awaited saving mission of all creation in ultimate humility becoming a human child.

The shepherds ran to "Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened!" They stooped to enter the cave. Stooping is no problem for shepherds who are use to living a lowly and out of the lime light type of lifestyle. But for some of us, the idea of humbling ourselves to stoop down to see this good news..? Well, it just doesn't seem right or in keeping with our views of greatness, what we see 24/7 on the tube or perhaps aspire to for our own way of living! MTV's show, Cribs will not be carrying this crib, for sure! This is not the type of 'crib' the messiah should be born in or that I should be found hanging around. Well it was.

Humbling ourselves to see Jesus is something worth praying for during this season. Drawing close to the Word who created all things, and has now become human and gladly humbled himself to be born in manger for me and you. Who was seen by the lowly and poor, who gladly bowed down to see this sight. Lowering ourselves in gratitude, praise and worship of Emmanuel, the Messiah and Savior, Jesus, the Son of the Most High. Take the opportunity to carve out specific time on your calendar, in this busy season, to prayerfully read the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke. Place yourself in the fields with the shepherds and in the cave before the Son of God, pondering with his mother what all of this means for me.

One other observation, the Shepherds having seen this miracle of God become man, "made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them." (Luke 2:17-18) They could not keep it to themselves, they personally encountered God's work of salvation and told others the good news they had heard and seen.

Advent and Christmas is a grace laden season, where many people who are broken hearted, lost and confused approach the 'holidays' with apprehension. Many are brought to a place where they can stoop to see this thing that God has done, if only some messenger of the Lord would tell them the good news. Be open and praying for opportunities to make known what was told to you! This Good news of God's love becoming a man, Jesus, born to save each one of us, and how he loves you!

During this Advent, let's give glory to God, like the angels and shepherds and, make known his love to those around us in words and witness of his love.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:20)