A sermon/reflection for First Sunday of Christmas – Year B
The readings for this Sunday are those of Christmas 1:
Isaiah 61.10-62.3
Psalm 148
Galatians 4. 4-7
Luke 2. 15-21
You might like to use the link below to find the above readings, and click on any of the reading above that you wish to use: http://www.katapi.org.uk/CommonWorship/CWLectionarySelV.php
Collect of the day
Let us first spend a few moments in silence to centre ourselves,
to gather ourselves in our souls,
to come before the Lord just as we are with our joys and sorrows,
our hopes and our fears, our loves and our pains.
Let us just focus our minds and hearts on Jesus
who is the answer for every problem.
Let us pray that the Spirit will work through our lives
to bring Christ to the world.
Silence is kept
Almighty God,
who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
And O God in Trinity and eternal unity of perfect love:
gather the nations to be one family,
and draw us into your holy life
through the birth of Emmanuel,
our Lord Jesus Christ our Lord
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Prayer before the Sermon
Loving Heavenly Father,
we thank you for the words you have given us today.
We know they are words of life and salvation.
Open our hearts Father,
touch our souls,
help us to respond to your word
and know that you are indeed our Lord and Saviour.
May we experience in our hearts
your love and your presence always.
Amen.
A homily based on the readings of today is given below::
Living New Year 2021 With God!
Introduction – all the three readings have a special New Year message for us:
- Ponder and treasure in your heart what God has done! (Gospel)
- You are an adopted child of God and you can call God “Abba! Father!” (Epistle)
- You are blessed by God! (Old Testament, Book of Numbers)
1. Ponder and treasure in your heart what God has done!
The gospel of today continues to narrate the most fascinating story humanity has ever heard, a story that has become His Story, history. We have just celebrated Christmas although it has not been a normal one due to the covid-19 restrictions. We have been busy not just with buying gifts, preparing festive dinners, trying to meet family and friends where possible and attending services where possible or online. Probably, we have had hardly any time to reflect, treasure or ponder deeply on the great events that we have celebrated in the past weeks of Advent leading to the Christmas services. That is why the gospel has a message for us as we begin the New Year: The key words according to me are: “But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2. 18) (repeat)
Mary must have been shell-shocked and overwhelmed with all the events that suddenly came crashing on to her young life 9 months or so before when the angel surprised her with the message at the annunciation, having becoming pregnant and all the reaction that caused to all not just to Joseph her betrothed, then the journey to Bethlehem for the census and the incredible birth of Jesus in a manger, the star, the shepherds, the angels, the wise men and all the messages, the signs, all those events. It must have been absolutely bewildering for a young maiden to have gone through all this.
But, we are told in verse 18 that: “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” (repeat) Note carefully the words, “treasured” and “pondered”. Mary allowed the words and events to speak to her. She reflected on all the words. She meditated on them. Mary has to make her journey of faith; she is the model believer. She does not understand all the things that had happened to her.
We remember the parable of the seeds – the seeds that fell on the road, on the bramble, on the rocks and the seed that fell on good soil. Mary reminds us of the “good soil” of the parable – the seed sinks into the soil, finds nourishment, finds care, sprouts and grows and yields a rich harvest. The Word of god needs to be treasured, pondered, reflected, meditated upon so that it may sprout and grow within us. Mary is an example for this.
We in the Western world have forgotten to treasure words, to ponder things, to reflect to meditate, to pray. We have lost touch with ourselves, the earth and with our God. We have become, selfish and sinful. We must learn to slow down, to pause, to sit still, to meditate, to pray, to listen, to treasure and ponder over events within our hearts. Then our lives will acquire character, true life, depth and fruitfulness. Mary pondering and treasuring all the events that happened to her is a great model for us for 2021! “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46.10) I wish you all a New Year with God when you can make space and time like Mary to treasure and ponder the events in your life and let God’s word to enlighten and guide you in this New Year 2021.
2. You are an adopted, beloved child of God and you can call God “Abba! Father!”
THE 2ND READING IS AN EXCEPTIONAL READING FOR THE NEW YEAR AS WELL.
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father. 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Gal 4.4-7)
These verses are just fascinating and give us great joy and great reason for hope for the New Year. We are reminded that we are children and heirs of God. In Jesus, you are an adopted child of God. You have received the Holy Spirit that enables you to call God “Abba! Father!”
These words sound glorious news for us from our loving God especially when at this time we are terribly oppressed by economic instability, poor financial administration, inflation at all levels cf. rail fares, utility tariffs). Financial speculations and budgetary balancing seem to lack respect, dignity and justice for the poor, the old, the sick, the weak and vulnerable. God tells us today: You are not a slave but a child and an heir through God – a great thought to start New Year with!
3. You are blessed by God! (Old Testament, Book of Numbers)
THE FIRST READING FROM NUMBERS 6.22-27 IS A PRIESTLY BLESSING.
22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24‘The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD turn his face towards you and give you peace.’
27So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
These are favourite verses of mine and most favourite of all blessings. I had underlined these words in the Bible many years ago. It is a fantastic blessing for the New Year!
“The Priestly blessing (cf. Lev 9.22-23) reflects God’s response to the maintenance of purity and the generous voluntary dedication of the community as provided for in 5. 1-6:21. When we do God’s will, he blesses us. (The Hebrew text of the blessing itself probably preserves pre-exilic oral tradition and exhibits polished poetic style.) The right of invoking Yahweh’s name upon the community is here reserved to the sons of Aaron, a postexilic development that restricted earlier practice.
25. The concept of the shining of God’s face or presence perhaps had its original setting within the liturgical theophany. In Exodus 34.29, we read: “When Moses came down from Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that his face shone because he had been talking with God.” 26. The lifting of God’s face is a favourable gesture (cf. Pss 4.7; 33.18; 34.16) In times of distress, it was believed that God had ‘hidden his face’ and abandoned his people (see Deut 31.18; Psalms 30.8; 44.25; 104.29). peace: Hebrew ‘salom’ has a broader and richer meaning more adequately reflected by the English words ‘wholeness’ and ‘well-being’.” (NJBC, 83)
Conclusion: As you begin the New Year remember God’s Word for you today!
- Ponder and treasure in your heart what God has done! (Gospel)
- You are an adopted child of God and you can call God “Abba! Father!” (Epistle)
- You are blessed by God! (Old Testament, Book of Numbers)
[Revd Dr ST Mattapally, Rector, Springline Parish, Diocese of Lincoln]
Pause to pray …
A Prayer you can say now:
Lord Jesus,
I believe you are the Son of God.
Thank you for becoming one of us.
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.
Thank you for rising from the dead
to give me hope and the gift of eternal life.
I repent of my sins
and invite you into heart and life
as my Lord and Saviour.
Please grant me your Holy Spirit
so that I may know you, love you
and follow you every day of my life.
Amen.