Irreverently Reverend

  Christmas Eve Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in t...

  Advent III 57  When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a boy.  58  Her neighbors and relatives celebrated with her because they had heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy.  59  On the eighth day, it came time to circumcise the child. They wanted to name him Zechariah because that was his father’s name.  60  But his mother replied, “No, his name will be John.” 61  They said to her, “None of your relatives have that name.”  62  Then they began gesturing to his father to see what he wanted to call him. 63  After asking for a tablet, he surprised everyone by writing, “His name is John.”  64  At that moment, Zechariah was able to speak again, and he began praising God. 65  All their neighbors were filled with awe, and everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked about what had happened.  66  All who heard about this considered it carefully. They said, “What the...