Word to the Wise
Monday, December 21, 2015 -
[Song of Songs 2:8-14 or Zephaniah 3:14-18a and Luke 1:39-45]"Hark! my lover - here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills." [Song of Songs] "Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel." [Zephaniah]
The alternate passages for today's first scripture seem almost to display a certain "giddiness." For some reason the popular Christmas song, "Santa Claus is coming to town!" came to my mind as I looked at them. The Song of Songs does not appear very often in the lectionary. It is a love poem that has been interpreted many ways of the centuries to mean the love of God for Israel or the love of Christ for the Church. At least today it shows excitement that someone very important is on the way. I suspect that is why the passage appears. The alternate is from the prophet Zephaniah and shows a similar excitement: "The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear." Excitement and reassurance are blended.
It is easy to understand the "holiday excitement" as the commercials exhort us to "buy, buy, buy!" and the high priests of the economy solemnly proclaim about the importance of this season to the economic welfare of our nation. How can we find room for excitement about the anniversary of Jesus' birth? The ordinary "Happy Birthday" stuff just doesn't capture it, to be sure! I suggest a few moments of contemplating the nativity scene and to recognize the incredible gift that it commemorates. On Christmas Day, we are able to personally receive the Lord in the manger in the celebration of the Eucharist. This is the "reason for the season." The gifts and wrappings, the trees and lights, etc. will all fade away, but Jesus' remains. To me that is both exciting and reassuring. AMEN