Courtesy of AM1140 WVEL
And there were shepherds living out in the fields
nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
Luke 2:8
Although I am somewhat afraid of the dark, I love the night time – especially if the sky is clear and there are stars visible. Although they are not a major source of light like the sun or the moon, stars are marvelous and mysterious – tiny (to the naked eye) beams of sparkling radiance illuminating their little corner of the sky.
Last night (and the night before that), there were no stars visible here, being covered by thick black clouds that had threatened rain all day. While we were safe and warm inside the church, rehearsing for this weekend’s Christmas cantata, the storm broke with all its fury. Driving home in the mess, my thoughts turned to the homeless downtown, living in the parks and under bridges. Where do they go when nature unleashes the wind and the rain? Where is their shelter?
When the sky outside Bethlehem erupted with the sight and sound of a myriad of singing angels, the shepherds who lived in the fields had no place to hide. When the light of glory receded and the starry sky held reign once more, those men decided to leave their flocks and go see what the fuss was all about. Their curiosity enabled them to be front and center in one of history’s most unusual tableau – worshipers kneeling amidst the animals in the dirt and straw, welcoming their newborn Savior.
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