Sermons by Rev. Jason S. Glombicki (Page 38)

There is one thing that I have never understood about today’s gospel story. That is, how did Herod and his advisors miss the star? If it was something so visible and unique that the Magi set out on a journey, why didn’t Herod’s people see it? Living in Chicago, I know that I frequently miss the happenings in the sky. If it’s not light pollution or the weather blocking my view, then it’s because I don’t think it has an impact on my life. Yet, the Magi were different; they had an eye to the sky…

There is no getting around it, today’s gospel is horrific. It seems like an odd reading for the Christmas season. It appears to be a poor choice to read it on a baptism Sunday. It seems like a reading that we’d want to hide under the carpet and pretend it doesn’t exist. No matter our feelings, it’s here for us to hear. It’s here for us to wrestle with today…

Every year, we read the Christmas story. And, by now, it’s so predictable. There are shepherds, angels, and baby Jesus. It’s not surprising that Jesus is born. It’s just, expected. But, this year, I was struck by verse 19, that said “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” At first glance, it appears to be a sentimental statement, like when a parent fondly remembers a child’s early years and the, now, lost simplicity. But, if we look at the Greek language in which this was originally written, what Mary is doing is literally throwing these words around in her head trying to figure out the significance…