christmas eve: dazzling darkness.

"In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, Magi from the East came to Jerusalem asking, 'Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod secretly called for the Magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road." Matthew 2:1-12

"There is in God (some say)
A deep, but dazzling darkness."-Henry Vaughn

Sometimes God is born
like a wild star calling us
in a new direction,
blazing a new path
that has never been imagined.
Sometimes God is born
out of such a deep, darkness
that we forget it, too, is dazzling.
Sometimes when God is born,
more real and alive
than we ever expected,
we are frightened to our bones
because we know
it will change us forever.
Fear and violence
will seem appropriate reactions--
And so will wonder
and pure uncontainable joy.
Will we barricade our doors
and hold meetings
carefully mapping a plan
to keep our power,
to protect what is ours,
to hold onto our way of life?
Or will we kneel
to weep, rejoice and dream
like children?
I pray that when I see
that wild star
I will have courage enough
to throw open the treasure chest
of my life and fling all my gold
out into the untamable blue of sky.
I pray for the courage
to be dazzled.