PRESIDING BISHOP MARK HANSON'S 2002 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
Greetings in the name of our Triune God.
Oh, how fear permeates our lives -- the possibility of war, the instability of the economy, the uncertainty of our children's future, the reality of debilitating illness, the finality of death. Amid all the fears that haunt us, it is my prayer that we might experience something of the shepherd's holy fearfulness. For it is not finally the power of weapons, wealth, or wisdom that causes us to tremble, but the incomprehensible possibility that God comes to us in this way and in this place:
To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is the Messiah, the Lord. . . . You will find a child wrapped
in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:11-12, NRSV)
What fills us with awe and holy fearfulness is not just the familiar Christmas story, with its miraculous detail or its wondrous blending of the ordinary and mystical, the lowly and the most high. It is the great mystery of God's love for the whole creation, revealed through Jesus' birth and life, death and resurrection.
O great mystery
and wondrous sacrament,
that animals should see the newborn Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the virgin whose womb was worthy
to bear our Lord Christ: Alleluia!
Lord, I heard your call and was afraid,
I considered your works,
and I trembled between two animals.
"O magnum mysterium," Latin hymn, ca. 11th-13th century;
based on passages from Luke and Habakkuk
The angel's announcement of Christ's birth leaves us trembling in holy fearfulness. It stirs us to ponder with Mary the wonder of God's love. It bids us to join the shepherds in glorifying and praising God. For in Christ we are called to faith, not fear; to hope, not despair. We are set free to proclaim Christ and strive for peace in all the world.
"The God of peace be with you all." (Romans 15:33)
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
