I have been looking at some of the short stories written about the Christmas story as fiction works with Gospel to expand the facts to the level of meaning.
In the past couple weeks we have thought with John Piper who wrote about the Innkeeper, and we have looked at O. Henry and his modern reflection on the "Gift of the Magi". On the final week of Advent I will work with Harper Lee's perspective on "Christmas".
Next Sunday I wanted to write a short story myself about the shepherds. I want to think about the implications of the visit of the shepherds to the manger and to Mary and Joseph and the Christ Child.
Luke has given us the story of the shepherds. It is Luke's way of reminding us that the Christ Child came in very ordinary circumstances and was visited by some of the most common and ordinary people on earth; shepherds. Missing from Luke's story is the story of the visit of the kings. It wasn't the Magi who came to visit. They represented royalty, and strangeness. Shepherds portray a more basic and down to earth message.
In all of the Gospel Luke is interested to reveal to us a Christ who was attentive to common ordinary people. Luke give us a Christ who was sensitive to the issues of women. Luke shows us a Jesus who continually stands up for the outcast.
Sunday, with our choir singing a major piece of music I would like to present to you, "The Gift of the Shepherd Girl". As the week progresses I will offer an update on how the story is coming.
The Christmas story is not fiction but neither is it fact. It gives us an idea of what can happen and is less concerned to tell us what exactly did happen. It lends itself to amplification and invites us to take our place in the story as we read it and tell is.
What do you think might have been a gift from a shepherd girl to the Christ Child? What do you think that might have been?
If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
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1 comment:
Chuck--I believe that the Shepard Girl brought a blanket to keep the Christ Child warm. It was the blanket that her mother used to keep her warm and was very special to her. Perhaps it is the only gift she has from her mother who died in child birth just a year before Christ was born
Don Lybecker
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