Readings

Isaiah 25.6-10 | Psalm 23 | Matthew 15.29-37 |

Christmas Green
by Scott Cairns

Just now the earth recalls His stunning visitation. Now
the earth and scattered habitants attend to what is possible: that He
of a morning entered this, our meagered circumstance, and so
relit the fuse igniting life in them, igniting life in all the dim
surround. And look, the earth adopts a kindly áffect. Look,
we almost see our long estrangement from it overcome.
The air is scented with the prayer of pines, the earth is softened
for our brief embrace, the fuse continues bearing to all elements
a curative despite the grave, and here within our winter this,
the rising pulse, bears still the promise of our quickening.

Prayer

God of love, Father of all,
the darkness that covered the earth
has given way to the bright dawn of your Word made flesh.
Make us a people of this light.
Make us faithful to your Word
that we may bring your life to the waiting world.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today's psalm, Psalm 23, with not simply a picture, but another form of fine art: the glorious organ of the Jacobuskerk at Zeerijp in the Northern Netherlands, played by Dennis Wubs. The organ was built in 1651 by Theodorus Faber and variously "improved" over the centuries since. In 1977-9 the organ was restored to its original 1651 state.

Hear more here, especially this