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Juan de Flandes
The Nativity, c. 1508/1519

“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:15,16)

The waiting is now over!

Christ is born in Bethlehem!

Thank you all for joining me in this season. May Christ be born in us today as we celebrate His nativity.

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

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O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;

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Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

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See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

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Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child bring our hearts’ oblations.

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Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

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Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

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“To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world.”

~ Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), American president. Presidential message (December 25, 1927).”

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Sandro Botticelli
The Adoration of the Magi, c. 1478/1482

The soft light from a stable door
Lies on the midnight lands;
The wise men’s star burns evermore,
Over all the desert sands.

Unto all peoples of the earth
A little Child brought light,
And never in the darkest place
Can it be utter night.

No flickering torch, no wavering fire,
But Light—the Life of men.
Whatever clouds may veil the sky,
Never is night again.
… Lilian Cox, included in Masterpieces of Religious Verse, James Dalton Morrison, ed., New York: Harper & Bros., 1948, p. 229-230

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Doubting Bethlehem from CPX on Vimeo.

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At the end of the century, TV Guide listed this Crosby-Bowie duet as one of the 25 most memorable musical moments of 20th century television.

Come, they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum

A new-born king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum

Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum

pa-rum-pum-pum-pum, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum

Peace on Earth, can it be

Years from now, perhaps we’ll see
See the day of glory
See the day, when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be

Every child must be made aware
Every child must be made to care
Care enough for his fellow man
To give all the love that he can

I pray my wish will come true
For my child and your child too
He’ll see the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be

Can it be

Bing: It’s a pretty theme, isn’t it?

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Lorenzo Lotto
The Nativity, 1523

“Jesus’ birth sparks joy, surprise and wonder. All these emotions flow from the experience of the shepherds, who observe with amazement as heaven confesses the child’s identity (Luke 2:10-11). The major offices of Jesus are confessed in one sentence: he is Savior, Lord and Christ–that is, deliverer, master and anointed king. As unbelievable as it may seem, the one with authority over salvation spends his first nights not in a palace but in the open air among simple people like the shepherds. Born in the ancient equivalent of a tent village, Jesus arrives to fulfill God’s promise. All the imagery shows God’s concern for people regardless of their social status or vocation. He cares for all and identifies with all.

Joy comes with an angelic proclamation of good news (euangelizomai). The message is for all the people. Though in the original context such a messianic announcement would have been understood as being for the people of Israel, the development of Jesus’ ministry shows that Jesus’ work reaches beyond such national boundaries. The two volumes of Luke-Acts tell the story of how Jesus, the Savior, Lord and Christ, brought salvation to all people regardless of nationality. They need only turn to him (Acts 10:34-43).

As with other incidents in the infancy material, the angel describes a sign: the shepherds will know this announcement is true when they see the child in a manger. The angelic announcement does not come in mystical isolation; it connects to concrete events.”

- Darrell Bock IVP New Testament Commentary, Luke 2:8-21

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Writing credit goes to Rachel Tulloch at RZIM Canada, with super muchas gracias to the inimitable Anna Tragesser.

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“I have this running quandary about Christmas. I get upset about it, because I feel that we American Christians make too much of it, and too little. Too little of it, because we pile all sorts of other things onto it, including some that have only the feeblest connection with the Event it is supposed to commemorate. If God did become a man, in any real sense, it is the most important thing that ever happened…we make so much of the actual birth, and forget the things that make it more than just the birth of a baby—more, even, than the birth of the greatest man who ever lived. We forget the promise to Eve of a descendant who will solve the problem of Evil; the promise to Abraham of one by whom all mankind will be blessed; the promise to Moses of a greater prophet than he, to arise from his people; and the promise to David of a Son who would be his Master. We forget about the eternal Purpose behind it all: it’s like telling a story and leaving out the point. Yes, it is true that God gave us His Son, and so maybe we ought also to give gifts—but what, and to whom? It is also true that God gave us Himself, and the only sensible response to that is to give ourselves to Him. There is nothing else that He wants from us, or, if there is something, He can take it. Only I, my ego, my heart, is truly mine to give or to withhold—and is therefore the appropriate gift to Him.”

… Robert MacColl Adams (1913-1985), letter, 1982

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Leonardo da Vinci 1452 – 1519
The Annunciation

tempera on panel (98 × 217 cm) — ca. 1474

“If the [Incarnation] happened, it was the central event in the history of the Earth—the very thing that the whole story has been about. Since it happened only once, it is by Hume’s standards infinitely improbable. But then, the whole history of the Earth has also happened only once: is it therefore incredible? Hence the difficulty, which weighs upon Christian and atheist alike, of estimating the probability of the Incarnation. It is like asking whether the existence of nature herself is intrinsically probable. That is why it is easier to argue, on historical grounds, that the Incarnation actually occurred than to show, on philosophical grounds, the probability of its occurrence.”
… C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), Miracles, New York: Macmillan, 1947, p. 174

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‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ (Matthew 25:6 – NLT)

O Bride of Christ, rejoice!

O Bride of Christ, rejoice!
Exultant raise thy voice
To hail the day of glory,
Foretold in sacred story.

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Hosanna, praise and glory,
Our King, we bow before Thee.

Let shouts of gladness rise
Triumphant to the skies.
Here comes the King most glorious
To reign o’er all victorious

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He wears no kingly crown
Yet as a king He’s known;
Though not arrayed in splendor,
He still makes death surrender.

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The weak and timid find
How meek He is and kind;
To them He gives a treasure
Of bliss beyond all measure.

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Thy heart now open wide,
Bid Christ with thee abide;
He graciously will hear thee,
And be forever near thee.

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Then go thy Lord to meet;
Strew palm leaves at His feet;
Thy garments spread before Him
And honor and adore Him.

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E’en babes with one accord
With thee shall praise the Lord,
And every gentile nation
Respond with exultation.

- 15th Cen­tu­ry Dan­ish hymn

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