平安夜
“平安夜”这首圣诞歌曲在全世界都深受人们喜爱。它温柔的旋律暗示着“天赐安眠”，在“万籁俱静”中得以安眠。
但是，我们通常对耶稣诞生的描绘却远非平静。在伯利恒附近的田野上，一大队天兵高声歌唱，宣告神的荣耀。在城里，牧羊人、博士、羊、牛、骆驼和礼物都挤在一个马厩里。而婴孩耶稣就在这骚动之中躺卧马槽。
稍等，博士们要到后来才会出场，所以让我们把他们和他们的礼物一起从画面中移除。其实《圣经》中也没有提到马厩——只有一个马槽，一个喂食槽。所以那里可能也没有别的动物。
现在让我们回到耶稣出生后的头一两个小时。当牧羊人发现“马利亚和约瑟，又有那婴孩卧在马槽里（路 2:16）”时，骚动就出现了。但现在，在摇曳的灯光中，我们能看到的只有马利亚、婴孩和约瑟。疲惫不堪的马利亚睡着了。约瑟可能也要休息了。与此同时，马利亚的婴孩被紧紧包裹着，在第一次吃奶后他很满足，用新生儿的眼睛看到了光、影，并察觉其他动静。让我们就停留在此时此刻，有如夜晚一样安静。让我们来观看这个画面。创造万物的神竟然成了一个新生的婴孩，正盯着摇摆的影子专注地在看。
耶稣，在很久以前的那个夜晚，你来到世上成为我们当中的一个，“神与我们同在”。感谢你。
路加福音 2:1-7
1当那些日子，恺撒奥古斯都有旨意下来，叫天下人民都报名上册。2这是居里扭做叙利亚巡抚的时候，头一次行报名上册的事。3众人各归各城，报名上册。4约瑟也从加利利的拿撒勒城上犹太去，到了大卫的城，名叫伯利恒，因他本是大卫一族一家的人，5要和他所聘之妻马利亚一同报名上册。那时马利亚的身孕已经重了。6他们在那里的时候，马利亚的产期到了，7就生了头胎的儿子，用布包起来，放在马槽里，因为客店里没有地方。
Silent Night
"She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger. . . ." - Luke 2:7
"Silent Night" is a favorite Christmas song for many people around the world. Its gentle melody suggests a "heavenly peace" in which "all is calm."
But our usual picture of Jesus' birth is far from calm. Above the fields near Bethlehem, an angel army sings out, announcing the glory of God. Back in town, shepherds and wise men and sheep, cows, camels, and gifts are all crowded together in a stable. And somewhere in the midst of all that commotion is the baby Jesus.
But hold on. The wise men don't show up until later. So let's take them out of the picture, along with their gifts. And there's no mention of a stable—just a manger, a feeding trough. So there might not be animals there either.
Now let's back up to the first hour or two after Jesus' birth. Commotion will come later, when the shepherds find "Mary and Joseph, and the baby . . . lying in the manger" (Luke 2:16). But for now, as lamplight flickers, all we can see is Mary and the baby and Joseph. Exhausted, Mary is fast asleep. Joseph might be able to rest too. Meanwhile, Mary's snugly wrapped baby, content from his first feeding, sees light, shadow, and movement with his newborn eyes. Let's stay right where we are, silent as night. And let's take in the picture. The God of all creation is a newborn baby watching shadows sway.
Jesus, on that night long ago you came to be "God with us," one of us. Thank you! Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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