Scripture Texts: Isaiah 9:2-7; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:11-20
The time is night.
When things happen secretly.
The Spirit of God moves unseen in hearts.
Time compresses, lengthens, wrinkles,
without the sun’s witness as it arcs the sky.
Messages are passed from heavenly beings
to ones who are awake in the night.
Field workers, deep thinkers, star watchers.
The courageous and the fearful together,
are alike in the night.
The time is night.
When things happen secretly.
The Spirit of God moves unseen in hearts.
Time compresses, lengthens, wrinkles,
without the sun’s witness as it arcs the sky.
Messages are passed from heavenly beings
to ones who are awake in the night.
Field workers, deep thinkers, star watchers.
The courageous and the fearful together,
are alike in the night.
The time is night.
People find themselves unexpectedly moved.
By tidal surges in the heavens.
A new light blazes silver in midnight blue.
Never seen before, but now apparent,
even to the unaided eye.
Crackling with generous energy,
many will follow this light.
Not knowing where it leads.
Relinquishing everything to its mystery.
The time is night.
No one can possess this present radiance.
Though many will never cease trying.
Some will even seem to succeed, for now.
But it will be their undoing.
This is glory un-sequestered,
belonging entirely to itself;
coming and going as it pleases.
Re-arranging, re-designing all things,
to its own larger, truer purposes.
The time is night.
There is no color in night.
God made it so,
to instruct the attentive and receptive.
That all things may be equalized.
Disparities adjusted.
Destructive forces restrained.
The justice we forget,
may be remembered and reclaimed;
through love’s brave and persistent gentleness.
The time is night.
Listen well to its sounds.
Hard breath of labor.
Somewhere a heartbeat slows,
while another quickens.
A night bird calls out a query.
Who is here?
Who will sing with me now,
a song of joy and exultation;
of confidence and encouragement.
The time is night.
The age is ancient, but the new is expected immanently,
as it always is by those mindful and hopeful.
An infant comes into the world silently.
Wise elders say it may be a sign.
But no one yet can interpret the event.
It will be years and years and years.
It is the beginning of an unfolding age.
Old as old and new as new.
It will be called the first century.
The time is night.
God’s promise
is born among us once more.
It is necessary for the child to come
in the night, God knows.
Because apart from the child,
it is always night.
So the Holy One arrives,
Wonderful, Mighty, Everlasting, Peaceable.
The time is night, the light is Christ.*
Thanks be to God. Amen.
* The time is night, the light is Christ.
Inspired by a prayer (Collect #5) from the circa seventh century Gelasian Sacramentary
People find themselves unexpectedly moved.
By tidal surges in the heavens.
A new light blazes silver in midnight blue.
Never seen before, but now apparent,
even to the unaided eye.
Crackling with generous energy,
many will follow this light.
Not knowing where it leads.
Relinquishing everything to its mystery.
The time is night.
No one can possess this present radiance.
Though many will never cease trying.
Some will even seem to succeed, for now.
But it will be their undoing.
This is glory un-sequestered,
belonging entirely to itself;
coming and going as it pleases.
Re-arranging, re-designing all things,
to its own larger, truer purposes.
The time is night.
There is no color in night.
God made it so,
to instruct the attentive and receptive.
That all things may be equalized.
Disparities adjusted.
Destructive forces restrained.
The justice we forget,
may be remembered and reclaimed;
through love’s brave and persistent gentleness.
The time is night.
Listen well to its sounds.
Hard breath of labor.
Somewhere a heartbeat slows,
while another quickens.
A night bird calls out a query.
Who is here?
Who will sing with me now,
a song of joy and exultation;
of confidence and encouragement.
The time is night.
The age is ancient, but the new is expected immanently,
as it always is by those mindful and hopeful.
An infant comes into the world silently.
Wise elders say it may be a sign.
But no one yet can interpret the event.
It will be years and years and years.
It is the beginning of an unfolding age.
Old as old and new as new.
It will be called the first century.
The time is night.
God’s promise
is born among us once more.
It is necessary for the child to come
in the night, God knows.
Because apart from the child,
it is always night.
So the Holy One arrives,
Wonderful, Mighty, Everlasting, Peaceable.
The time is night, the light is Christ.*
Thanks be to God. Amen.
* The time is night, the light is Christ.
Inspired by a prayer (Collect #5) from the circa seventh century Gelasian Sacramentary