This year as I read and prayed through the Christmas story again and again, one dimension that Iâ??d never noticed before caught my attention. The second chapters of both Lukeâ??s and Matthewâ??s gospels reveal a theme of post-Christmas returning. After their respective epiphanies, we read that both the Magi and the shepherds returned. Returned to what? They returned to their vocations and their normal, everyday lives.
How strange would that have been? The shepherds had seen the glories of heaven, heard the songs of angels, and been led to the manger of the Christ child. The Magi had experienced their own awe-inspiring, star-guided vision leading them to the new King. And now both groups find themselves returning to the lives they once knew. But they couldnâ??t have returned the same. When you encounter the Christ child, there is no going back. You return, but you return â??by another route.â?
Read Full Article »