Advent

The Shepherds: Energised by an Angel. 

Gabriel and all the angels “are in the service of your salvation,” wrote Origen, a third-century teacher of the church. In one homily, he imagines them in heaven, embracing this role at the moment of Jesus’ birth: “They say among themselves, ‘If he has put on mortal flesh, how can we remain doing nothing? Come, angels, let us all descend from heaven!’”

Gabriel isn’t named in the story of the Bethlehem shepherds who saw the angels descend in a blaze of light and sing out the “good news of great joy.” But it’s reasonable to suppose that he is “the angel of the Lord” who speaks the message and leads the chorus. Again, for Gabriel it’s another assignment to an unlikely place. Appearing over a field of sleeping sheep would be like a heavenly manifestation over the parking lot of a truck stop.

But what a response! Taking Gabriel at his word, the shepherds put aside fear and open their hearts to joy. Then they imitate the angels in two ways: They praise God, repeating the “glory!” of the heavenly choir (Luke 2:14,20), and they spread the news of Jesus’ birth (2:17). Together with the angels, these unlikely guys become the first evangelists in Luke’s Gospel.

When the skies grow dark and buildings fall, then hear us:

have mercy on us, Lord. 

When deceivers come and the nations rise in anger, then hear us:

have mercy on us, Lord. 

When famines begin,

and when the earth shakes to bring the future to birth, then hear us:

have mercy on us, Lord. 

When we take our stand to witness to your truth,

when our people are arrested and betrayed, then hear us:

have mercy on us, Lord. 

When the sun is darkened and the moon fails to give us light,

and when the stars fall from the sky, then hear us:

have mercy on us, Lord. 

When you come in your great power and glory with your angels from heaven: 

Then, Lord,

gather us from the four winds— 

from the ends of the earth,

to be with you for ever and ever. Amen.