Christmas Day (Year 2, NL)

We parade into our worship spaces singing “Hosanna,” only to realize we’ve been following Jesus’ hearse.

Maybe we ask too much of ourselves—and too little of God—if we expect to produce light.

To be God’s people is to be caught up in parable, in story and storytelling.

Herod is frightened—or disturbed, or troubled, or all of the above.

The Christmas story is scandalous because of its specificity.

It’s likely that Jesus was born in a cave. Does that make any difference?

You rarely see a children’s pageant based on Matthew’s story of escape from a raging despot.

When does tonight become tomorrow? Is it the first glint of daybreak? The first breath of the baby?

Is Matthew so embarrassed by Bethlehem’s lowly status in Micah that he feels the need to punch it up a little?

God is humbly present in every living creature. Maybe closer than we’ve imagined.

Do they later say to their friends, “How could we not have known?”

In welcoming the Magi into her home, Mary opens the door to the whole world.

Mary and Joseph must have felt dejected and homeless.

The God of exiles, refugees, and migrants still shines light amid today’s present darkness.

I probably shouldn’t treat my own son like he’s the Messiah. Imagine the pressure.