Stories are such wonderful teachers. The story that has grown up around the birth of Jesus—an avatar come for the salvation of this world—is captivating and makes one feel intimate with that holy family.
We think of a star studded night, the shepherds are having an extraordinary vision of angels, a promise fulfilled from ancient times; a night of wonder and glory (Luke 2). So inspired are they that the flocks are left and a search is made for the fulfillment of the angels’ prediction—to find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. What a charming sight it brings to mind to think of shepherds in rough woolens and simply shod coming in reverence and awe due to the angels’ appearance and what was said. We know those blessed shepherds are uplifted by this experience because we are told they return to their fields glorifying and praising God.
We then jump from Luke’s account to Matthew’s (Matt 2); for each have their part to tell. We imagine wise men (astrologers reading the stars) approaching a “young child,” (a young child—perhaps not a newborn—but let us stay with how tradition comes down to us today), and on that fateful night they open their treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gifts that are of such great value that history has thought of these men as kings.
So, the scene is set for our deepened meditation. We see the angels imparting their prophetic message with spiritual power to humble shepherds in their fields, and we too experience the glory of this night, the ecstatic beauty of it all. We follow the shepherds as they proceed to a humble cowshed and shyly approach in wonder, this newborn and his parents—we bow with the shepherds at the feet of this holy baby who has come to fulfill ancient prophecies.
Then, on their heels we see ourselves enter in with the wise men; bringing all that is treasured in life; in blissful submission we surrender our lives and all that we are at Divinity’s feet. There is magic in the air, strange and marvelous things are afoot. We merge into the story through our deepened meditation: Divinity is born in man; Sacredness is awakened in you. What greater promise than that is to be fulfilled?
Oh, what peace, what joy and bliss is ours! How our souls thrill at the prospect of being in such holy company. What better than to let our minds dwell on this holy night in deepened meditation? May peace ring out from the inner depths of your humble soul, and may the promise of a divine child be born in you, bringing to life all of its fulfillment—for you and for all mankind.