Read Me A Story
Read Me A Story, Papa
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2:1-20 KJV
There’s the story, Luke’s nativity scene. It’s available in any number of English translations from Luke’s NT Greek. My preference is the timeless King James Version, and not just as an old fuddy-duddy. Like divine liturgy, a story has a sound, a proper sound. Anyone who has ever read a favorite bedtime story to a little child knows better than to change even one word. The medium is the message, and it’s Papa sitting there on the bed reading aloud, a favorite story just as always, with all the right words and sounds and inflections. Or a family gathered for Christmas dinner and listening as one of the elders tells again an old family story that everyone has heard innumerable times, that’s part of the scene and in years to come may be part of cherished memory.
Far more and deeper and real than conveying facts, a real story is not like a report. A real story moves, is moving, with character and color and identity and individuality and beloved people and personality and eccentricity all of which encourage the audience to hear in pictures, mental images, as the story is told, like a dream. If a story is beautiful enough and real enough, it doesn’t matter whether it’s meant to be taken literally or owned as part of one’s being or just on the shelf as part of one’s heritage. Luke’s nativity scene.
It’s Christmas Eve. We have a story of Jesus‘ birth, a nativity story that will be read at innumerable churches this evening. For me, it doesn’t want emasculating into a report of facts that move it from holy to banal and rob it of its joy and may even destroy that part of my faith that the story makes real. Luke’s nativity story in the King James Version is my Velveteen Rabbit, my Little Town of Bethlehem. Don’t ask me whether it really happened exactly this way. And don’t change the words. Or the tune.
TW+