A Sermon for the First Sunday of Christmas
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Galatians 3:23-25;4:4-7
John 1:1-18
Psalm 147 or 147:13-21
GOSPEL READER:
(Shaking head and walking to seat in congregation.)
That's such a confusing reading ... all those levels of poetry and theology.....
You'd have to be some kinda clown to try to explain all that ‘Word became flesh" stuff.
EVERYPERSON:
(Enters from side door.
Shows up behind reader, dragging manger and pointing to self at word "clown" above.
Puts manger in front of altar.)
MAMA MARY:
(Enters from back of Church, carrying doll and shouting.)
Joe? Joe !
Now where'd he get to?
(To people in pews,)
He's always off dreaming somewhere.
And I need help with this baby.
You'd think he'd be pleased.
I made him this beautiful son without him having to lift a finger.
(Lifts baby to show people.)
And now "Proud Papa" disappears and won't even help change the swaddling clothes.
(Makes ‘something stinks' face and says to baby,)
Jesus Christ, not again!
EVERYPERSON:
(sauntering up)
Hey, Blue Lady, can I help you?
MAMA MARY:
Huh?
(Looks up.)
Wow! Great hair!
(Both primp and preen a bit, wearing matching shiny purple/pink wigs.)
And, yeh, sure ...
I could use perpetual help.
"Our Lady of Perpetual Help" that's me!
(Rolls eyes)
Have you seen my man Joe anywhere around here?
Tall guy, brown robe?
Looks sorta lost, with a kinda spaced-out, dreamy expression?
EVERYPERSON:
Oh, Lady, I've seen it all today.
Kings at the corner drug store.
Shepherds hanging around the pub cheering about something.
And some kinda Salvation Army band up on the clouds.
No one's gonna notice your ordinary kinda man today.
(Baby lights up -- flashlight in swaddling clothes.)
Lemme see that baby, though.
I think he's gonna have your hair!
My Word ! Sort of shiny isn't he?
MAMA MARY:
How'd you know his name?
EVERYPERSON:
Whadda ya mean?
MAMA MARY:
"Word" – that's one of his names.
Did you hear him/her (points to gospel reader) read about him?
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
(Proudly)
That's my baby! They call him "the Word."
EVERYPERSON:
(Looking at baby)
Oh, my GOD !
(Looking at Mama Mary)
You're kidding, right?
(Stands gaping, pointing, etc during following)
MAMA MARY:
Come on, now, you did hear that reading, didn't you?
"And the Word became flesh and lived among us."
Here he is: "the Word," flesh of my flesh.
This kid's got more names than the king of England.
My little Yeshua....
People call him
Jesus, Christ,
Emmanuel,
King, Savior,
Light of the World,
Son of God,
Shepherd and Lamb,
Wonderful Counselor ...
(Sing list of names from Isaiah as in the Messiah)
... Prince of Peace
And he's also called
"the Son of Man"...
Huh ... "Son of Woman" would be more like it,
‘cause no man had anything to do with this baby's getting here.
Speaking of which:
(looking around again)
Joe ! Joe !
(to person in pew)
Have you seen my man?
I need him to watch the baby so I can get some shopping done.
Ordinary guy -- brown robe, messy hair, dreamy look about him?
EVERYPERSON:
(Gently leading Mama Mary to the manger.)
Come on now, Holy Mama,
let's get the flesh of the Word cleaned up here,
or we'll have hell to pay
for some kind of divine swaddling rash.
(They change the swaddling clothes out of sight in the deep manger ... unrolling a long strip of cloth, making "something stinks" faces, turning on light in manger, and making winding motions within manger.)
MAMA MARY:
See? Even in this mess,
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."
EVERYPERSON:
Cool!.... "we have seen his glory ..."
(Pause)
Look, Mary, I can watch him for you
if you have some shopping to do.
MAMA MARY:
Hey, thanks!
I hope Joe didn't take that silly beast of mine. Ah, there it is.
(Picks up stuffed donkey and leaves by side door, saying)
I gotta get my ass down to quick mart before the guys run off for noon prayer.
EVERYPERSON:
(Goes to manger, watches baby with reverence;
then gently picks up and cuddles baby)
GOSPEL READER:
(slowly, moving toward Everyperson)
"But to all who received him,
who believed in his name,
he gave power to become children of God....
(puts halo on Everyperson)...
Children of God, who were born,
not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man,
but of God."
(pause)
"God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts"...
"so that we might receive adoption as children."
EVERYPERSON:
(Fist in air)
YES!
....
I'm a child of God !
(climbs in manger,
hands baby to Gospel Reader, who walks out of sight with the baby)
Proclaim the Good news!
(dancing in manger, and flaunting fancy clothes in the light)
"The LORD has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness."
(Points to halo.)
MAMA MARY
(dancing in from side door,
following Everyperson's verses with)
"Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God!
how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!"
(Notices Everyperson instead of Jesus in the manger.)
Hey, you!
What are you doing in the manger?
EVERYPERSON:
(happily waving arms and shouting)
Good news!
I'm adopted! I'm adopted!
I'm a child of God!
Go tell it on the mountain...
Proclaim the Good News:
I'm adopted! I'm adopted!
MAMA MARY:
(looking toward heaven with exasperation and Jewish Mama accent)
God! I thought one was enough already!
(to Everyperson accusingly)
What did you do with Baby Emmanuel?
EVERYPERSON;
It's okay, Mama.
"Emmanuel" means "God with us."
So he's gotta be around here somewhere all the time!
Kinda like hide ‘n' seek?
(Everyperson and Mary run around, searching in odd places;
Gospel Reader returns baby to Mama Mary).
GOSPEL READER:.
"God sent his Son, born of a WOMAN,
(Mama Mary points proudly to herself)
... so that we might receive ADOPTION as children."
EVERYPERSON
(points proudly to herself,
then pauses thoughtfully,
looks at congregation,
indicates surprise, eyes widen,
gestures to congregation, saying)
You too!
Proclaim the Good News!
We're ALL adopted children of God!
(gestures to manger and invites all,)
Come on! Get in!
(others may crowd into manger)
EVERYPERSON
(turning toward altar, raising hands in prayer,
encouraging others to do the same)
"Abba, Father!"
(May be repeated by others & Eveyrperson)
GOSPEL READER:
Let us pray..............Abba, Father, you have poured upon us your children the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray.
ALL:
Amen
MAMA MARY:
Go out in the world,
you children of God,
and proclaim the Good News.
