Holiday Inn

 

Holiday Inn

 

Luke 2:1-20

2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

² (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

³ And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

⁵ To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

¹⁶ And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

¹⁷ And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

¹⁸ And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

[Since we’re away this coming Sunday, I’m sharing my Christmas Eve message with yinz via my blog as this week’s retirement sermon. Enjoy!]

 

Yes, the text is the same one I use every year on Christmas Eve, and yes, it’s from the “Authorized Version,” or as it is more popularly known, the King James Version. Why? Let’s just say that Charlie Brown (actually Linus) and tradition win the day. The shepherds being “sore afraid” when the angel of the Lord appears to give them the skinny on what was going on in Bethlehem also carries weight with me. While the “experts” tell us that “sore” just means “very” in King James lingo, I see much more in it. All kinds of things in life make us “sore afraid,” don’t they? That call from the doctor’s office that says, “We got your tests back; you’d better come in,” or the middle-aged Mom of two pre-teens who gets the word that her recent “discomfort” is caused by an unexpected pregnancy. These have every reason to be “sore afraid.” Or word that your pension may be in jeopardy, due to some bad investment management—“sore afraid.” When I was a young teen, and on delivering newspapers in the early dawn hours, and suddenly saw a large dog running my direction, snarling and baring its considerable teeth, BELIEVE ME, I was, in that moment, SORE AFRAID. “Sore afraid” is a fear borne of a sudden threat, the full nature of which one doesn’t yet know, AND has no idea how to face it. The “sore” is that hurtful emptiness that occurs in the “pit” of the stomach, and is amplified by the body’s being suddenly caught between the “fight” or “flight” responses. The “sore” is a kind of paralysis that begins and even lingers between the ears of the one who is afraid. In the case of the shepherds, being “sore afraid” is a group activity. Have you ever faced an angel of the Lord? Neither have I, but even imagining being out in a cold, dark field surrounded by nothing but bleating sheep and a small group of your peers, and to have an angel appear, illuminated by “the glory of the Lord” would probably rob me of my consciousness, at least for a few minutes. “Sore afraid” is one of those fear moments when the blood rushes from your flesh and you turn as white as a turnip. I’m guessing that even the sheep went quiet. I know I’m kind of beating this horse a bit hard, but I’m trying to make the point of the power of the ancient translation of this transformative birth narrative by pointing out how no other rendering adequately captures a phrase like “sore afraid.” 

 

And it’s not the only one: a “decree went out from Caesar Augustus”; Joseph was of the “house and lineage of David”; Mary was “great with child” and “the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.” This wonderful version just keeps casting Christmas images and warms our hearts, especially when the shepherds “make haste” (book it) and “found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe, lying in a manger.” Can’t you just hear Linus reciting this passage, explaining to the disillusioned Charlie Brown what Christmas is REALLY all about? I’m guessing that most of us would have been unimpressed, had Linus quoted a modern translation that states everything in the current vernacular. Have you read what the Heavenly Host says, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” in a contemporary translation? The Contemporary English Version translates Luke 2:14 as: “Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.” Bor-ing! For me, the King James narrative of this story just grabs me where I’m “sore.” The poetic nature of it soothes, reassures, and paints a picture that has deep, placid colors, quiet, “hushing” sounds, and adoring, young couple witnessing the world’s greatest miracle. The shepherds represent the world. The whole world. The REAL world. None of them was Elon Musk or even Warren Buffet. Neither were they soldiers bearing arms “to protect the child.” They were sheep herders who slept under the stars, had no coffee breaks, and no “day offs.” So it is with most of the people who live on planet earth, and so God invites THEM to the birth of his son. Jeff Bezos wasn’t invited, even with his promise of two-day delivery. Mary had beat that, anyway.

 

Scholars have spent countless lifetimes trying to get to the bottom of what actually transpired that night, both theologically and historically. I know that is their job, but frankly, the human race has decided already how it came down. Luke’s story as told by the King James interpreters is how it works for us. It delivers and aesthetic and a promise of “peace on earth, goodwill toward men” that no collection of facts or hypotheses can top. We shouldn’t really CARE what actually happened, as life is story, and this is our story—the CHRISTMAS story. It speaks to us, and continues to transform us. I’ve argued for years that anything we DO to celebrate Christmas that even nibbles at the edges of “peace on earth, goodwill toward men” is authentic and should not be discouraged. Even if it includes over-shopping, over-eating, and having a bit extra of the “Communion” wine. When people get together in the name of Christ’s birth and love one another, it’s a genuine Christmas, regardless of the trappings. When armies declare a ceasefire on December 25, and those who HAVE, give to those who DON’T, it’s truly honoring the “Heavenly Host.” And when this time of the year we offer a little extra care and affection to our animals, it is certainly a flashback to that first Christmas, because, after all, they were the first witnesses to the miracle, beyond Joseph and Mary. 

 

And speaking of hosts…I have a painful memory of my childhood, and like the manger scene, it is juxtaposed against a great blessing. As kids, my brothers and I LOVED to go on vacation. We were a lower-middle-class family with professional parents who, due to the nature of their jobs, were on and off in terms of regular employment, or at least jobs that paid consistently well. Hence, when our Summer vacation time rolled around, resources were often limited. Yet, our parents NEVER let that get in the way of us getting in the car and heading out. Our folks would often just choose a destination and away we’d go. Of course, this was before the “online” world, or even updated paper travel guides, unless you belonged to “Triple A,” which our budget didn’t allow. So, we’d be bearing down on a busy, Summer destination like Atlantic City, Geneva on the Lake, or Niagara Falls, with no hotel reservations or any idea about where we’d take our meals, other than the “snacks” mom would pack in a small cooler. Often, we’d drive for hours and hours, and night was rapidly approaching. We kids were tired, and the painful Sterling ritual of multiple stops at budget motels to see if they had a vacancy. However, since we were now in popular venues, there wasn’t any “room at the inn.” Sometimes we’d not find a motel that we could afford until close to midnight, and we would all be exhausted. I remember one particular trip when we had already stopped at probably 10 or 12 hotels that had “no room,” and we happened upon a glistening, new, hotel chain that called itself “Holiday Inn.” Their giant, neon marque announced “VACANCY,” and it had a pool! As we pulled in, my brothers and I could see that this place was definitely a cut or two above our usual places. “Holiday Inn” seemed to be saying, “You’re WELCOME here! Come on in!” Of course, dad emerged a few minutes later to report, “They want $40 a night! I’m not paying THAT!” And on we drove. In those late night hours, I came to sympathize with Joseph, Mary, and the babe, although there were some nights I would have gladly bunked in a manger. We boys LOVED vacation, but those night terrors? Of them we were “sore afraid.”

 

What that experience did for me is that my family NEVER went anywhere without reservations! To this day, even when Ms. Dara and I head out for a “random” trip, we STILL pick a direction and reserve a motel room. Our version of the Holiday Inn—which has also gone the way of the Dodo bird, now just “Holiday Inn Express”—is the Hampton Inn. We find kind hospitality, a good bed, and a “free” breakfast there, and with reliable consistency. In terms of spiritual metaphors, my childhood “no room at the inn” experience has also regularly caused me to examine, as a spiritual practice, whether I am granting Jesus “room at the inn” in my life. This has nothing to do with my “salvation,” but everything to do with my “sanctification,” or “living into” what I profess to believe. The hotel “fire drill” of my youth also compels me to be a part of efforts to “welcome the stranger” and “love my neighbor.” Dara and I just recently gave a major gift (for us, anyway) toward helping a political refugee family find a new home in America. There will be room at the inn for them, thanks to the gifts and efforts of a number of concerned Christian disciples. Holiday Inn, indeed!

 

I don’t know about you, but I think we all could use some heart-warming hospitality and “peace on earth” and “goodwill” this year? We’ve just come through an election cycle that has many of us questioning whether our nation will be a “Holiday Inn” to the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” or one that says “GET OFF MY LAWN!” to those looking for room at the inn. People are still dying in the West Bank and in Ukraine. The nation’s wealth continues to migrate upward toward the “one percent of the one percent,” and billionaires have the ear of the incoming President. “Peace on earth” is a no-brainer—we all would like to see the killing end—all killing, including in our schools. But if we have more than three synapses firing, we know that there will never BE peace without justice, meaning until at least persons’ survival is made possible by some level of equity. And THAT won’t happen until humanity “invests” in the challenge of the Heavenly Host: “GOODWILL toward men!” Maybe this Christmas will be a new beginning? Might the angel of the Lord make a curtain call to remind us of who we are and WHOSE we are? This year, may the hearts of American people who claim Christ as Lord be a ”Holiday Inn” for the poor travelers on that endless search for an affordable vacancy. May we, like sweet, young Mary, “keep these things and ponder them in our hearts…” And then, with courage and commitment, act on them in the New Year. Merry Christmas, Dear Ones!