When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
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Where is a dark place in your world where Jesus needs to enter anew?
Come closer to me, closer still, O Power of the Holy Trinity. Enter into my consciousness more deeply
than thoughts and emblems of the world can. In the same way as a wise mother, when she conceives, prepares and embellishes a cradle for her child, so prepare and embellish my mind for that which will be begotten from You, O Beauty and Purity.
Many evil thoughts lurk like serpents around the cradle of Your Son. And many wicked desires emerge from my heart and seek the cradle of Your Prince, to poison Him with their arrows.
Defend the cradle of my mind, and teach my soul how to give birth and care for an infant.
Shroud in deep darkness
the journey of all malevolent visitors coming to see my newborn son. And raise aloft a most radiant star
over the way of the Wise Men from the East, men who are truly wise,
because they are coming to visit my most precious child with three gifts— faith, hope, and love.
Come closer to me, still closer, my majestic Lord.
Nikolai Velimirovich 1881-1956 Serbian Orthodox monastic Prayers by the Lake, source, edited __________________________________
You became human, really human. While we endeavor to grow out of our humanity, to leave our human nature behind us, You became human, and we must recognize that You want us also to be human – really human. Whereas we distinguish between the godly and the godless, the good and the evil, the noble and the common, You love real human beings without distinction. . . . You take the side of real human beings and the real world against all their accusers. . . .
But it’s not enough to say that You take care of human beings. This sentence rests on something infinitely deeper and more impenetrable, namely, that in the conception and birth of Jesus Christ, You took on humanity in bodily fashion. You raised your love for human beings above every reproach of falsehood and doubt and uncertainty by yourself entering into the life of human beings as a human being, by bodily taking upon yourself and bearing the nature, essence, guilt, and suffering of human beings.
Out of love for human beings, You became a human being. You do not seek out the most perfect human being in order to unite with that person. Rather, You take on human nature as it is.
after Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906 – 1945 German Lutheran theologian and martyr
O Lord Jesus Christ, make me worthy to understand the profound mystery of your holy incarnation, which you have worked for our sake and for our salvation. Truly there is nothing so great and wonderful as this, that you, my God, who are the creator of all things, should become a creature, so that we should become like God. You have humbled yourself and made yourself small that we might be made mighty. You have taken the form of a servant, so that you might confer upon us a royal and divine beauty.
You, who are beyond our understanding, have made yourself understandable to us in Jesus Christ. You, who are the uncreated God, have made yourself a creature for us. You, who are the untouchable One, have made yourself touchable to us. You, who are most high, make us capable of understanding your amazing love and the wonderful things you have done for us. Make us able to understand the mystery of your incarnation, the mystery of your life, example and doctrine, the mystery of your cross and Passion, the mystery of your resurrection and ascension.
Angela of Foligno 1248-1309 Italian Franciscan tertiary
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
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How do you understand the incarnation of God’s son?
When waves of pain contort Mary’s body her face is cramped and pale Her eyes scuttle apart like crabs The waves pull, recede again
and attack more violently She clings to the wagon wheel, grits her teeth, and her screams terrify the beasts in the stable
Joseph, pacing nervously, stumbles and falls At last, seated, he strokes her back, grasps her hand; his strength flows into her
Then a tremendous power moves within Mary Like the sun emerging from a mountain ravine the infant’s head appears slowly, deliberately Joseph grips it in both hands
Now the baby’s cry flies out, rends the night Joseph’s doubts dissolve On the straw bed Mary peacefully shuts her eyes
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
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Imagine what the birth of Jesus was like for Mary and Joseph. How can you give thanks to God for the humble, beautiful birth of Jesus?
Dear God: The newspaper brings nothing new only an old, old story of war— more bombing, more shooting, more bloodshed. One more family wailing a funeral song. Against the backdrop of brutal images, we hear the old, old story of an angel with good news, who brought good tidings of great joy for all people.
Angel of Bethlehem, we long to hear your song again this day.
We want good tidings for countries in crisis. We want good tidings for people who long to govern themselves. We want good tidings for soldiers caught in webs of violence. We want good tidings for all who grieve, and who see no end to grieving. We want good tidings for terrorists whose actions spread fear and anguish. We want good tidings for ordinary people who long to live in peace. We want good tidings for children, who long to inherit a country where peace has blossomed.
Jesus, our Savior, you escaped Herod’s best-laid plans. May your Spirit of peace be born again this year in the hearts of all who work for peace. Amen.
Carol Penner, Canadian Mennonite pastor and professor leadinginworship.com source ________________________________
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
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In what ways is the coming of Jesus the best news that the world needs to hear? Who is one person that you can share this news with?
Hagia Sofia, Istanbul, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, via Flickr
Come, O true Light!
Come, O eternal life! Come, O hidden mystery! Come, O indescribable treasure! Come, O powerful one, who always creates and re-creates and transforms by your will alone!
Come, you whom my wretched soul has desired and does desire! Come, you who alone go to the lonely for as you see I am lonely! Come, you who have separated me from everything and made me solitary in this world! Come, you who have become yourself desire in me, who have made me desire you, the absolutely inaccessible one!
Yea, O Master, just as you remembered me, when I was in the world and, in the midst of my ignorance, you chose me and separated me from this world and set me before your glorious face, so now keep me interiorly, by your dwelling within me, forever upright, resolute; that by perpetually seeing you, I, the corpse, may live; that by possessing you, I, the beggar, may always be rich, richer than kings; that by eating you and by drinking you, by putting you on at each moment, I go from delight to delight in inexpressible blessings.
Symeon the New Theologian 949–1022 Byzantine Orthodox monk source _______________________
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
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When have you experienced the presence and love of God most powerfully?
Remember some of those times in prayer and praise.
prayer & verse 
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