Zephaniah 3:14-20, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18
Many ancient cultures have a tradition of bards, poets and story-tellers. David sang praises to the Lord on his harp; a skill set that might have gotten him the job of king. In Ancient Germanic, Viking and Celtic cultures the bards/poets were held in status and esteem second only to the king. As way of explanation as to why these people were so important, scholars point out that common people did not read. They only ‘knew’ of the deeds of the king through the bards, story-tellers and poets. They were the PR machine of the day.
So imagine an ancient hall stuffed with people; there’s a celebration. Mead and/or wine is flowing, there’s lots of special food. Musicians fill the room with noise. After a few hours, a hush falls over the room. The story-telling bard musician starts to sing of the might deeds of…
… I would say the king, but in our first reading, it is the King singing and telling tales… and He’s singing and telling tales about you! He is singing joyfully because of you!
Why? What might He be telling everyone? If you flip to the second reading and the gospel and smish it all together, the Lord King is telling stories about how kind you are towards others, which includes prayers of petition and thanksgiving, and loving acts of charity. This ancient feasting scene featuring the Lord boasting about me, sure inspires me to step up! How about you?
Journal Questions
How do you feel about the above possibility? Awkward, joyous, confused?
Reflect on a time when you felt truly joyous. Include lots of sensory details!
Write a list of 10 or more things you might try to do a bit more of, just so the Lord King can sing about it.
Writing to Pray 