Wednesday, December 23 – “O Come All Ye Faithful”
by Sergio Centeno
Luke 2:1-5 (Common English Bible)
Jesus’ birth
2 In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. 2 This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. 3 Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. 4 Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. 5 He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant.
Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem in Judea because of the census. Mary was pregnant and close to delivery. They traveled for a long in order to be there for what the Emperor ordered. Everyone has to go to the place of origins to get registered. It was the reason for why they were traveling. That was also why Mary delivered in Bethlehem. And that is the reason the Angels appeared to the shepherds and said to them to “go to Bethlehem” to faithfully adore the child.
This year the travel isn’t it an exception. The pandemic has been reshaping our lives, our budgets, but also our sense of community – I am convinced – for a good. This time at home has been the trip from the sanctuary to our homes. Took time for us to understand it but we got it. And last Monday I got the certainty that we did understand it. Saw the people at the Holiday Festival was such a remarkable sign of understanding of what this time requires from, us: Being in family. Being close to each others in ways that we can be in care of us and in care of our ones.
That was the reason I did a long travel to Puerto Rico; not to be another tourist but to go to my country of origin because of my sense of care. Care for my parents who are old and facing some difficulties in this pandemic time. We protect our own, as Mary and Joseph their baby who was close to being born. Today the story of our lives get close to the story of Mary and Joseph. We have been traveling – migrated from our one common space to the core of our lives, to the core of our beliefs, to the core of our very own people in care and support. We can’t be in the manger where Mary and Joseph got rest (and delivered) but we can make room in our homes to let the joy of the baby Jesus surround us, in total anticipation of the day we all can celebrate in the same space again. For now, let’s come all and being faithful. Let’s proclaim that a day of peace will come, Prepare the way for the lord to come, lets get ready and make the born of the Babe Jesus a simple event. Be sure you get ready to celebrate the born of the Baby Jesus in our hearts ands be faithful in care of our owns with faithfulness at all.
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
O come and behold Him, born the King of AngelsO come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the LordO come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful to BethlehemO come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful to BethlehemO sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation
O come, o come ye to Bethlehem
O Come and behold Him, born the King of AngelsO come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the LordO come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful to BethlehemO come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful to BethlehemO come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithfulO come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithfulO come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithfulO come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithfulO come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful to BethlehemO come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful to BethlehemO come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
Born the King of AngelsO come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the LordO come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful to Bethlehem
Prayer: Oh merciful God. We have being traveling since so long from the space of the sanctuary in Hyde Park to the intimate of our homes because of the pandemic. As our response to the love and care we hold for our very owns. Let this time nurture our souls and our hearts and allow us to fill out those gaps of uncertainty with love, care, and joy. For the sake of that baby who born and have being the reason of our reflection. AND LET US SING WITH JOY: O come, let us adore him, all ye faithful.
