3rd Sunday of Advent:

Handel's "Messiah" in Black and White

Luke 2:8. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

In Handel's "Messiah," just a couple of refrains after the chorus, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill toward men," we find the Alto 'recitative,' "Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing." (Isaiah 35:5-6)

I want to see that kind of thing happen. I want to see blind eyes receive sight, the deaf hear, the paralyzed walk, those without ability to speak - sing.

I want to see those incapacitated by disease healed; children and young men and women raised from the dead. I want to see those things that the Bible speaks of and the disciples saw.

I want to not be afraid with the Glory of the Lord shines its light.

Unfortunately, the moments when the 'Glory' of the Lord shines seem to be moments of fear, if not terror. The revelation of the 'Glory' of the Lord, Old Testament and New, are times such as when the priests fled from the temple (Solomon's day), the Roman soldiers fell backward to the ground (in the Garden with Judas), and Saul/Paul was blinded, falling to the ground (on the road to Damascus).

These were times of revealing. They were times of illumination. They were situations where the intentions of God's Will and Holiness were made known.

Those moments still happen today...God still shines the 'Glory' of His Will and Holiness on mankind and situations that are exactly what Handel's Messiah quotes from Isaiah. These are situations that are very uncomfortable for most religious people today just as it was back in Isaiah's day...or Jesus' day.

It was these for whom He came: "...and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young...Come unto Him, all ye that labor, come unto Him that are heavy laden and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

He didn't come for the powerful, or to establish His disciples as powerful. He came for those without access to a kingdom, those without hope, those without health, those without riches, those whose lives were tattered and torn, hungry and miserable, dying and shunned.

These are those for whom the Glory of the Lord shone. Let us be fearful enough to 'gather the lambs and lead those that are with young.' Let us lift those that labor and are heavy laden and carry those who are unable to find rest.

Let us be humbled by the Glory of the Lord Who has become flesh and dwells among us - Jesus Christ the Lord.

"O Come all Ye Faithful..."