2014-01-01 Daniel Daring 2013 articles 2012 articles
Pondering the Shepherds' words in our hearts
Numbers 6:22-27; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21
The Shepherds went to Bethlehem and announced the “good
news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10) that “today in the town of
David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). When
Mary heard that message, she treasured and pondered these words in her heart
(Luke 2:19). Why? Didn't she know from the angel Gabriel that her son was going
to be a king, whose kingdom will never end (Luke 1:33)? What was so particular
about this message that make her ponder over it?
The Gospel of Luke was written around 80 CE and was
addressed to Greek and Roman Christians (those who converted to Christianity
from paganism). Living within the Roman Empire, they were aware of the cult of
Caesars. The Emperor was supposed to be the savior and the lord and it was
supposed to be the good news for everybody. To announce then, that the child of
Mary was Christ and Lord was a clear indication of the trouble to come and Mary
had something to ponder about. Even more insulting to the Empire was the joy of
the shepherds. They were given hope that from “today” things were going to
be different. Here was a Savior united with the hopeless and the
powerless, who was soon to encourage them
to dream about doing great things (John 14:12). The Shepherds, the first
missionaries of Jesus, “returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had
heard and seen, as it had been told them” (Luke 2:20). But Mary continued to
ponder. Was her heart sensing that the Mighty Empire would not tolerate such a
challenge?
As I read this Gospel today, I also ponder over
these words and I realize that the Shepherd's message has lost its “political
aspect.” It has ceased to be a challenge to any Emperor or Empire. Yes. We
still acknowledge that Christ is our Savior, but He is only “the Savior of my
soul”, He saves me from only “my sins”, and His promise of life in
abundance will only materialize after “my death,” if He judges me worthy of
it. The Lordship of Jesus has also been spiritualized. In this “valley of
tears,” I am forced to acknowledge the presence of other lords and be
contented with the things as they are.
The problem is that “I think therefore I am”
and there are people who also think and so they are. And what do we think? That
the “American dream” cannot be a substitute for the “kingdom of God;”
that there is something wrong with a handful of people getting ridiculously rich
while billions of others are forced to live in poverty; that it is an evil thing
to establish an economical order where a few multinational corporations exploit
all available resources of the world for the benefits of the few.
There is also another problem. The angels continue
to inspire visions and dreams among many “shepherds” of our world. And what
do they dream about? They dream about a world where money is spent on health
care and education instead of being spent on arms; where farmers are not forced
to commit suicide in order to protest an unjustified grab of their land for
industrial purposes; where media are not a propaganda tool in the hands of the
mighty of this world; and where our Christian churches stop flirting with power
and riches, but go back to their roots and begin anew to live for the kingdom of
God.
But as I ponder these thoughts and dreams, and
treasure them in my heart, I am also asking myself: will the mighty of this
world ever allow these things to happen? Do these dreams not spell another
trouble for Jesus and those who take His Gospel seriously? And I begin to fear
for those brave “shepherds” who so joyfully return to their homes praising
God for the good news He announces to them. “Sh!” - I am tempted to tell
them. “Do not spread this good news. Do not even dream those dreams. That's
treason.” But since Mary said nothing, so I also keep quiet and continue to
ponder the words brought by the shepherds: “To you is born this day in the
city of David a Savior, who is the Christ, the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
A New Year is beginning. Will things ever be
different? I do not know. So I was about to close my Bible and end this
reflection, when suddenly I found myself whistling Mary's song:
“[The
Almighty] has shown strength with his arm;
He has scattered the proud
in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the
powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
He has filled the hungry
with good things,
and sent the rich away
empty” (Luke 1:51-53).
“That is also treason” - I thought, “but what a joy it gives; no
wonder that the shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God.”