There are, for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, three sets of scripture passages reflecting Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel Passages. The sets are called Propers, and the expectation is that one will chose one set and use that one set throughout the celebration days. Or at least that is my assumption. I plan to quite deliberately chose the Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel passage from the amongst the three sets according to . . . well, an agenda I am not sure I know how to describe. It depends on what my themes have been through Advent, how often I have used the passage in question, and how the scripture speaks to me when I sit down to write.
This Advent season I have been less focused on nativity aspect (baby Jesus, the stable, and the shepherds) and more focused on us as believers journeying through Advent – what we know, have learned, and bring to Advent. So this passage from Isaiah spoke most strongly to me of the three Old Testament passages.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”(Isaiah 52:7)
Heralds – that is what I thought of when I read this passage. And there are a lot of heralds during Advent. There was, of course, outside of Advent the annunciation that Mary would have a child. There was Mary & Elizabeth giving support and counsel to each other. There was Joseph being told that he should take Mary as is wife. There was the prophet Isaiah (here and the previous weeks of Advent) who pointed to (consciously or unconsciously) the coming of Jesus and his birth. There were the psalms passage that also spoke to the moment in which they were written and their significance in hindsight. There were Paul’s letters that fleshed out what Jesus’ coming would mean to believers who came to faith as a result of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. And there were the gospel writers who chronicled Jesus’ life, and invite us to consider what/who the infant grew into. These are the “feet” that are beautiful upon the mountain.
“Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the LORD to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.” (Verses 8 – 9)
Redemption is at hand. The news started long ago, and step by step came closer to Zion & Jerusalem. The steps were slow, yes, and so far away as to be a distant echo. Sometimes beauty is not seen or appreciate until finally revealed. And sometimes not understood either.
“The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” (Verse 10)
Consider, beloved reader, that the Lord’s Holy Arm was the infant Jesus. I leave you with that image, and for you to consider what beauty you see. Shalom & Selah!
A Simple Desire 
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