Luke 2:6-14: a reflection

6While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. 7She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. 11For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” 13Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”

On the night Jesus is born, laid in a feeding trough because there was no room in the inn, an angel appears to shepherds keeping watch, and brings news that changes everything: Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you today, in David's city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The Savior of the world had come, born not in a palace but in the humblest of circumstances; and the news of his coming was good news of great joy, not for a few, but for all the people, announced first to lowly shepherds in a field.

Notice the good news the angel brings, and to whom. A Savior had been born, Christ the Lord; and this was good news of great joy, not for the great or the important only, but for all the people. And it was announced first to shepherds, ordinary men keeping watch in a field, not to kings or priests. The Savior came in humility, laid in a feeding trough, and his good news was for all, reaching first the lowly. The birth of the Savior was good news of great joy meant for everyone, announced to the humble, a joy for all people, brought into the world in the humblest of circumstances. This was the good news: a Savior, for all, come in humility.

That is worth resting in, for the coming of the Savior is good news of great joy for us, whoever we are. We can feel that good news, joy, salvation, are for others, for the important, the deserving, not for us; but the angel declared good news of great joy for all the people, and announced it first to lowly shepherds. The Savior came for all, and his good news is for you. Do not think the good news of the Savior is for others and not for you; it is good news of great joy for all the people, and the Savior came in humility for the likes of you. Receive the good news of great joy that a Savior has been born for you, whoever you are, as the angel announced it to lowly shepherds as good news for all the people; for the Savior came in humility, and his coming is good news of great joy for all, a joy meant for you as much as for anyone.

Lord, on the night Jesus is born, laid in a feeding trough because there was no room in the inn, an angel appears to shepherds keeping watch, and brings news that changes everything: don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people; for there is born to you today, in David's city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The Savior of the world had come, born not in a palace but in the humblest of circumstances; and the news of his coming was good news of great joy, not for a few, but for all the people, announced first to lowly shepherds. Show me the good news the angel brings, and to whom. A Savior had been born, Christ the Lord; and this was good news of great joy, not for the important only, but for all the people. And it was announced first to shepherds, ordinary men keeping watch, not to kings or priests. The Savior came in humility, and his good news was for all, reaching first the lowly. Let me rest in that, for the coming of the Savior is good news of great joy for me, whoever I am. I can feel that good news, joy, salvation, are for others, for the important, the deserving, not for me; but the angel declared good news of great joy for all the people, and announced it first to lowly shepherds. Keep me from thinking the good news of the Savior is for others and not for me; it is good news of great joy for all the people, Lord. Help me receive the good news that a Savior has been born for me, whoever I am, as the angel announced it to lowly shepherds as good news for all.