At the beginning of their Gospels Matthew and Luke tell us through simple beautiful words of the coming of God into the confusion and muddle of our world in Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem. The stories of Jesus’ birth in the Gospels are at the heart of Christian faith. They unite Christians around the world.
Woonbo Kim Ki-chang (Korea), The Birth of Jesus Christ, 1953
The stories weave together the lives and experiences of many people. In their different ways the characters involved ‘see’ God.
Mary, the young woman of Nazareth, sees an angel who gives God message to her, and she receives into her womb the son of God, who is to grow within her and whom she is to give birth to, and nurture, nourish and guide.
Joseph receives God’s message through a dream, and takes care of Mary, and the child Jesus. Shepherds in the fields, caring for their sheep at night hear God’s messengers, the angels telling them of God coming to the world, and singing of God’s glory. The shepherds see God, in Jesus, and go and tell of the wonders they have seen. The Magi (the wise men) follow the star which leads them to see Jesus Christ at Bethlehem and leads them to worship.
There is more – others in the stories encounter God, some knowingly, some without realising it. The innkeeper, people of Bethlehem, animals – sheep, cattle, donkey, all have a part in the stories as told, and sung about, by Christians through the centuries to our day. All glimpse, see God, in some way – through dreams, angels, by stars, above all in a baby.
Our small Posada figures are a reminder of this wonderful good news. The figures encourage us in Advent to pause. They invite us to seek God around us, to see God moving among us today.
This year, 2018, as the Posada figures journey in our community we will invite people to share ways in which in their lives they have felt God’s presence, seen God at work, or felt they may have had a glimpse of the divine. We will share some of the thoughts and words we receive on the #Posada2018 journey here on our church blog, and in our facebook group too.
Where in your life have you ‘seen’ God?
Where have you ‘felt the touch’ of the divine?
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