Darkness, broken by soft candlelight and electric light somewhat harsher and reflected by shiny surfaces. A cross, two candlesticks, antiseptically clean robes, well-scrubbed faces, finely-dressed, well-mannered, reasonably contented people gathered here in this place, in this building. For what are we here?

Why are we here? To sing favorite carols? To seek forgiveness for guilt? The family always comes together to church on Christmas? To glimpse a vision?

Another dark night when a few stars pierce the black, like tiny bulbs blinking atop a tall pole. Rough countryside whose stillness is broken by the baa's of sheep. Cold, dirty sheep milling together for warmth and comfort. Tired, stinking men huddled around a fire for warmth and comfort. A blinding, flashing light. They glimpse a vision.

Angels singing, directing them to go and see what has happened in a small stable in Bethlehem. There animals and family hover over a feed trough. These shepherds of the fields have glimpsed a vision.

Vision, grandeur, perspective. What else when the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us full of grace and truth? How else do you and I even have the possibility of perceiving, understanding, but vision?

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-3, RSV)

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her
that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:1-2, RSV)

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and
with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb,
so he opened not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:4-7, RSV)

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and
thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light, and kings to
the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3, RSV)

The Vision. God wrapped in a baby, in human flesh, opens history and changes circumstances. How else do we see a newborn babe in billowing straw as God? How else do we see the most impossible of all impossibilities, life out of death? When we are grasped by the vision of God in human form our whole perspective changes. The way we view the world, the way we view things is different. The vision of God in human flesh turns the whole crazy, mixed-up mess on its ear. The drunk lying in his vomit is a figure hiding the Babe of Bethlehem. A young, punk kid, mouthing profanities and oozing hatred for all, shields a dying form on a tree. An old lady, wracked in cancerous pain, wraps a risen life in death.

Vision. How else shall we see God at work in our world now? See God in darkness and light? See God in bread and wine? See God wrapped around us here as we share peace and love with one another?

Did you come here to see candles, a tree, people, a church, God? There are mixed-up motives for our being here, for our existing and working and living. But the word of the angels to those smelly shepherds is the word of God to ancient Israel and comes rolling down the years to us, ever new, ever fresh.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name will be called
"Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:2, 6, RSV)

The coronation oracle for a king of the house of David speaks of God's action to bring peace and well-being for all of God's people.

In the midst of tinsel, the trappings, the titillating gaiety, a haunting vision. The vision of a messianic king from God, the vision of a child in the straw, the vision of God in our midst in the Child of Christmas and in the Christ of the Cross.

The architect creates a concrete and steel structure that lays open something hidden and real. Vision. The artist points toward life in color and line and form. Vision. The musician with dissonanance and harmony, brass and strings and percussion shows us life in depth and emotion. Vision. The poet expresses in concrete, abstract words depth and meaning and joy. Vision.

In the midst of all the glamour and the gaiety and the gifts of this season, entertain the possibility of vision. God is present with us in grandeur and glory. The Messiah in the Manger, the Crucified Christ on the Cross, the Risen and Reigning Lord still comes to us in our world. God still is present and at work, giving of the divine self to us and for us. Open your eyes, throw open your whole self, allow yourself to be grasped by the vision of God present and at work in our world now.