Land's End

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd
of my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:1-12

Meditation
What “stars” have you followed in your life, representative of your deepest desires and most passionate dreams?

Where have they led you?

Where are they leading you right now?

The Magi offered Jesus their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  What gifts do you want to offer Jesus?

Sit down with Jesus and tell him.

So now we bow before you . . .
Even while we worship you, you sweetly receive your due—and you bless us too . . .

And here, my Jesu joy, I open my treasure box, to give you the best I have, one two three: Gold, which signifies your Kingship over us.  Gold—which is all my wealth, my properties, my world possessions—I place into your service, my Lord and King; for my attachment to you is greater than my attachment to things.

Incense, which signifies your divinity.  Incense—which is myself, my hands, my skills and all they can accomplish, my energies and purposes in this life—I offer to you as a living sacrifice, a sweet odor in your nostrils, my Lord and my God.  For it was you who knew me before I was born, and you who called me by my name.

Myrrh, which signifies your death.  With myrrh—which is my love, my pure unsentimental love for you—I will anoint your feet in the Lenten season.  With love will I, this year on Good Friday, cover you in your grace; and with love I’ll await your Easter resurrection!  Love sent you to me, my Savior.  I have no better gift than to love you back with all my heart.

And now I go again . . . It’s almost time to return to the cold, to the gray labors and long January of our lives.

But I have dreamed the dream of your coming again this year!  And I know good from evil, love from greed, truth from deceit.  Therefore I will not return to Herod, or any other king of power.  Not to arrogance or self-righteousness will I go, but only by the route you’ve shown me, Jesus: by the Way that you are.
Walter Wangerin Jr.

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What is Reclaiming Christmas?

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And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom,
and the grace of God was upon him.
Luke 2:40

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick
he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.”
Isaiah 42:1-4

Therefore,
let us desire nothing else,
let us want nothing else,
let nothing else please us
and cause us delight except our Creator, Redeemer and Savior,
the only true God,
Who is full of good,
all good every good,
the true and supreme good,
Who alone is good,
merciful gentle, delightful, and sweet,
Who alone is holy,
just, true, holy, and upright,
Who alone is kind, innocent, clean,
From Whom, through Whom and in Whom
is all pardon, all grace, all glory
of all penitents and just ones,
of all blessed rejoicing together in heaven.
Therefore,
let nothing hinder us,
nothing separate us,
nothing come between us.
St. Francis of Assisi

Now, O Jesus, yet before the Christmas season is over, I come.
I come to honor you: the baby you at your mother’s knee; the human you, whose flesh is vulnerable to the troubles of this existence; the tender you, whose face reflects the feelings of people around you.
Walter Wangerin Jr.

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What is Reclaiming Christmas?

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When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
Luke 2:39

No longer need we pray, Come.
He has come. He is here.
The child, Christ: he grows in us.
We are his Nazareth.
Those who sought his life, though they killed him on the cross, failed in the end.  He rose.
And now he dwells in us.
We are his hometown, now.
Walter Wangerin Jr.

For I am convinced that
neither death nor life,
nor angels, nor rulers,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from
the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

Meditation
As you look at moments of your life, how do you feel about them?  What are the happiest?  What are the saddest?  How did they influence who you are today?  How was God present in each of them?  Do you think that God sees them the same way you do?

Now, close your eyes and imagine God’s face before you.  Look at the expression on his face.  Look into his eyes.  Let him look into your eyes.  And finally, imagine God smiling as he looks at you.  He takes great delight in you, his beloved one.  Don’t rush to move on.  Let yourself bask in the loving gaze of God.

Dear God, Lord of my life,
I sit in awe before the gaze of your love.
It is sometimes difficult to let you love me in this way.
I’m not used to its power and warmth.
But I want to let your love transform me so that I can become a better disciple,
a better companion of your Son Jesus.
Set me ablaze with the fire of that love.
Dan Schutte

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What is Reclaiming Christmas?

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There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.   Luke 2:36-38

Anna lived a small life.  She had a seemingly small ministry.  Mostly it was just between her and the Lord.  A ministry of worship, offering, praise and adoration, giving glory and honor to God’s name.  A ministry of fasting, self-sacrifice, and self-denial—“crucifying the flesh” (Galatians 5:29) by subjugating mere physical hunger to a much deeper spiritual hunger.  A ministry of prayer and intercession—crying out to God on behalf of her friends and family, the community, and the nation.

. . . The scripture tells us that God honors those who honor Him.  Is it any wonder that when He finally appeared in the flesh, He chose to reveal Himself to this woman?  He gave His servant Anna the privilege of living to see what men of old had died waiting for: the coming of the Messiah.

. . . If she had been twenty, Anna’s words might have been easily dismissed—a grand delusion or the illusion of an idealistic youth.  A sign of mental strain or instability.  Perhaps a foolish young woman’s attempt to gain attention and notoriety.  But at eighty-four, Anna was past all of that.  Her lifetime of faithful devotion could not be disregarded.  Her spiritual insight and wisdom could not be denied.  Now she had an audience, and it was time for her to speak.  Her testimony was not unlike that of the psalmist who wrote:

But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
of your salvation all day long. . .
Since my youth, O God,
you have taught me,
and to this day
I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power
to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come.
Psalm 71:14-15a, 17-18

Anna’s place in Scripture takes up little more than three verses.  Yet the mention of her part in the Christmas story is extremely significant.  There is so much we can learn from her life, from her faithful heart.

. . . Sometimes a simple ministry—a quiet life of daily obedience—can be incredibly powerful.  We may not be able to establish wildly successful programs or organizations or outreaches.  We may not be able to travel overseas, preach to millions, or write best-selling books or popular praise songs.

But each one of us can worship.  Each one of us can fast and pray.  Each one of us can learn to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  We can minister to God Himself by devoting ourselves to Him, loving Him.
Christin Ditchfield

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4

Meditation
Imagine being with Mary and Joseph that day as they dedicate Jesus in the temple.  Who else is there?  What do you see?  Then Anna approaches.  What does she look like?  What expression is on her face?  She is thanking God—overflowing with gratitude—as she speaks about the child.  Listen to her; how does she sound?  How does Anna’s reception of Jesus affect you?

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When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared
in the sight of all people,
light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Luke 2:22-35

Meditation
I am present in the Temple when Mary and Joseph present Jesus as an offering to God.

I imagine in detail the interior of the Temple—the entrances, the walls, the pillars, the altars.  I listen to the sounds . . . I am aware of the scents . . .

I allow myself to participate in the unfolding event.  I listen to everything that is being said.  I see the expressions and the gestures of each person.  I participate and respond from whatever moves inside of me.

I stay with Mary and Joseph and offer joy, gratitude, wonder and praise to God.

I ask for the grace to know and draw closer to Jesus.
Adapted from Jacqueline Syrup Bergan and Marie Schwan

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What is Reclaiming Christmas?

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Happy New Year!

And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew 1:25b

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Luke 2:21

Jesus grew up during a time of resurgent “Jewish pride.”  In a backlash against the pressure to embrace Greek culture, families had recently begun adopting names that harked back to the times of the patriarchs and the Exodus from Egypt . . . Thus Mary was named for Miriam, the sister of Moses, and Joseph was named after one of the twelve sons of Jacob, as were Jesus’ four brothers.

Jesus’ own name comes from the word Joshua—“he shall save”—a common name in those days. . . .  Its very ordinariness, not unlike “Bob” or “Joe” today, must have grated on Jewish ears in the first century as they listened to Jesus’ words.  Jews did not pronounce the Honorable Name of GOD, save for the high priest one day a year, and even today Orthodox Jews carefully spell out G_D.  For people raised in such a tradition, the idea that an ordinary person with a name like Jesus could be the Son of God and Savior of the world seemed utterly scandalous . . .
Philip Yancey

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

Meditation
When you pray to Jesus, by what name do you call out to him?  By the birth name that Joseph gave him, as instructed by the angel Gabriel?  Or perhaps by that which he has become to you over time: Savior, Lord, Beloved, Friend?  Imagine yourself seated with Jesus in one of your favorite places, a place where you find it easy to relax.  Turn and face him.  By what name does he invite you to call him?

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What is Reclaiming Christmas?

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