Our longing is for salvation – salvation from our broken condition, our broken lives, and our broken world. But our longing is even stronger for what God promises to save us to, which is peace. This is of course a constant and repetitive theme throughout the Old Testament; so much so, it becomes the standard greeting of God’s people. The theme appears in Luke’s gospel as the reason for the heavenly host glorifying God at the birth of Jesus (Lk. 2:14). In fact the good news of the Messiah’s coming is called by Peter the gospel of peace (Acts 10:36). Joy is there in the story too. It’s the response of realizing and receiving the gift. The angel appearing to the shepherds calls it good news of great joy (Luke 2:10). And the Magi rejoiced exceedingly with great joy (Mt. 2:10). But the heart of the good news is that peace has come in the birth of the child Jesus, who brings salvation to Israel and the world. Through the sacrifice of His life, we are saved from our sins and saved to peace and rest.
It is rest that our hearts, our minds, our spirits, and our bodies are looking for. In the same way that our physical bodies are restored by 8-10 hours of solid sleep, so too our spirits by the rest we receive from God’s salvation. Our struggle is not where our rest will come from, or whether it can be realized or not (it can, simply by receiving the gift), but rather learning how to live in it and experience it in the midst of working out what it means to be saved.
But the work and fight of living the gift and learning how to live in peace is for the New Year. Christmas is a time of longing (which in relationship with God involves prayer and fasting), anticipation, and joyous reception. To celebrate Christmas, our task is to identify again with the longing – not too hard for most of us, enter into anticipation – having some kids around helps, and receive the gift of peace with great joy and celebration, just like the shepherds and the Magi.
May the Lord bless His people with peace (Ps. 29:11b)
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you (John 14:27)
Merry Christmas,
St. Vincent
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