Thoughts for the Day

The Shepherds

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

(Note I am not using the Lectionary today!)
(New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

After organising innumerable nativity plays - watching the faces of children; the funny moments when the wings fell off an angel, or a wise man refused to give his present to the baby Jesus; and the inevitable accidents caused by a live donkey - I feel the shepherds get a raw deal. They usually wear dressing gowns, with tea-towels on their heads, and have to carry fluffy sheep. No self-respecting seven year old boy wants to carry their baby-sister's toy sheep!

In reality, in the hills around Bethlehem, the actual shepherds also got a raw deal. They were employed to take all the village sheep into the hills to let them graze on the pastures for weeks on end. Because of this they were unable to attend the synagogue, nor could they they obey the laws concerning washing, or not working on the Sabbath. Add to this the danger from wild animals, and the need to account for each sheep, their life was pretty awful. They would have been among the lowest in society.

Yet it's the shepherds who are the first to receive the good news that the Messiah has been born. After hundreds of years God has spoken through an elderly couple who are barren (Zechariah and Elizabeth); through a young woman and her betrothed (Mary and Joseph); and now through a group of shepherds on the edge of society. God chose to speak through the humble and lowly to emphasise that His plan is for all people, both then and now!

A prayer by Miguel Alonzo Macias from Honduras

With the shepherds of Bethlehem
help us, oh Lord,
to run with haste to meet you,
to see your face in the faces of others
and to wake from our sleep as a new world is being born.

With the angels of Bethlehem help us,
oh Lord, to tell the whole world of your presence,
that God is with us!
Let us create peace amongst people
and work for justice amongst nations.

With Jesus, the infant Christ
help us, oh Lord,
to cherish the hope that is born at Christmas,
to hear the calling of your people,
to nurture the seeds of your Kingdom
and through our actions to be messengers of your love
in building communities of service and prayer.
Amen.