First Reflection
More than four thousand years ago, a Babylonian etched the words of a lullaby onto a small clay tablet. The tablet can fit into the palm of one’s hand. Its lyrics express one of the oldest lullabies we have on record today. In what might be an almost timeless scene, the song was sung from a mother to a child. While we do not know the melody, we might assume it was a soothing one. The words, however, were not. The baby is “chastised for disturbing the house of god with its crying.”
As we worship tonight, know that we are an open and affirming church. All are welcomed here, especially crying babies. Know as well that what brings us together tonight is the birth of a baby who no doubt cried a time or two. May this sanctuary be a space made sacred tonight by the cries of babies and by the soothing songs of carols passed down through the ages.
Second Reflection
An under-discussed topic in the scholarly literature on the birth of Jesus is the notable silence in the gospels with regard to the actual delivery of Jesus onto a bed made of hay. While Christmas carols wax poetic about the little Lord Jesus laying down his sweet head on a pillow of straw, there is certainly more to be said. Images of donkeys and sheep may be cute for nativity scenes in modern homes and churches, but they raise some serious questions about keeping a safe and sanitary environment for the bringing of new life into the world. While some might argue that the scene in question evokes a symbolic expression of how Jesus was born into a world of filth and sin, we may want to consider yet another interpretation. Maybe faith, like life itself, is just plain messy. Maybe faith is there in the midst of chaos, stress, dirt, pain. Maybe it is there persevering and pushing its way through adversity and hardship until finally we get to the other side. Finally, the mother is resting with her child—whispering, singing, and holding her baby close.
Third Reflection
For the most part, lullabies are often sung when no one is listening. It has been observed that as such they often provide a place to give voice to words and feelings that might not so easily be expressed elsewhere. One writer goes so far as to suggest lullabies not only soothe the baby, but they also give therapy to the mother. The lyrics of lullabies from around the world often reflect a host of conscious and subconscious fears, concerns, and worries. Have you ever wondered why we sing about boughs breaking as cradles fall from treetops? In a similar sense, many Christmas carols would seem designed to soothe our own collective unease in the face of life’s mysteries and challenges. As the lyrics of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” declare, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” Tonight, we sing not alone as individuals. We sing as a community of faith. We sing knowing the support, love, and joy that we share in this place. Together, let us sing facing the mysteries and challenges of life.
Fourth Reflection
Lullabies lead to peaceful slumbers, and slumbers lead to dreams. Let us leave tonight soothed by lullabies and inspired by dreams. Dreams of peace, dreams of love, dreams of hope, and dreams of joy for all.
These reflections were written by the Rev. Brooks Berndt.