That’s what Roger Ebert said when he reviewed the movie, The Wild Bunch, back in the summer of 1969. He called it "the most violent movie ever made," a movie in which "there are no heroes.”
Here is a group of men who are hard; who spend a lot of their time out in the badlands, sleeping rough, living rough. They look rough. They smell rough. Not the kind of folk most of us would choose to spend any time with ... At all ... For any reason. We immediately mistrust them. There is something about the look of them that makes us want to turn and go the other way. Not someone you would wish to have join the family. And if they were already in the family? Well, we would want to send them as far away as we could possibly arrange.
A lot like the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night ... on that night.
Wait. What?!
Oh, yes. Scholars tell us that at the time of Jesus' birth, shepherding had fallen from the lofty days when David watched over his father’s flocks while writing psalms and fighting off varmints with his sling and a few smooth stones. It had become a despised trade, comprised of despised people. They were considered thieves; in fact, people were strongly discouraged from purchasing milk or wool from shepherds because it was widely assumed they had come by those goods dishonestly. Loving fathers refused to teach their sons the trade.
Wow. That really changes how we see the events of that night of nights.
Picture it with me. These low men were out in the fields with the sheep. Some were sleeping. Sheep don’t smell any better at night than in the day; and they don’t smell any better when asleep. But these men had grown nose-blind to the smell. In fact, the men smelled exactly the same as the sheep. Those who were keeping watch were alert to the sounds of the night; more concerned for their own lives than for the lives of the sheep.
Suddenly: an angel just appeared out of nowhere! Right there in the middle of them! Glory and light shone all about. Their first thought? Run! But the angel, who knew they were afraid (and probably should have been) calmed them down. He gave them the message about the Messiah being born in the nearby town and described how they would recognize him. And if that was not enough, suddenly, there were even more angels surrounding them; an army of them, shouting in unison “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people who please Him!”
Then, just as suddenly as they appeared: they were just not there. After all that, what would you do? The shepherds did just what I think any of us would do (after we got over the shock); they went to investigate.
Now picture this scene: surrounded by livestock, having wrapped their newborn son in cloths and placed him in the feed trough because, well, there was just no where else, Mary and Joseph hear a noise. At first, it is unidentifiable; but soon, they recognize it as the many voices of excited people; and the sound is coming closer. In short order, the little space is crammed full of ... a wild bunch; shepherds; not exactly the kind of people parents would want near their newborn. And the smell, already bad, only gets worse. There is a lot of pushing and shoving; finally, talking over each other, each one trying to tell it, they manage to tell the tale.
Then, like many others have over the ensuing millennia, this wild bunch took to the streets to tell what they had seen and heard that night. And —maybe for the first time in a very long time— people actually stopped to listen to these hard, low men.
And the people marveled at what they heard.
The first week of Advent was about orientation (looking back and owning our true history, while looking forward in hope of salvation). Week two of Advent was about pausing (practicing patience while we wait upon the Lord). Last week, the Advent scriptures were about declaration (proclaiming, to all who will hear, the imminent arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “light”). Finally, this week, Advent is about transformation. We see God transform His Son into a human baby, transform a group of animals into witnesses, and transform a wild bunch —some rough, low men— into heralds of the Messiah’s arrival.
And the transformations are only beginning ...
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A very different version of this reflection appeared in December 2010
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Nativity of The Lord - Proper 1 (December 24, 2017)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//texts.php?id=52
Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
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Will you be in Waco this Friday morning? If so, join us for Lectionary Breakfast at the “Egg and I” restaurant at 8:00. We’ll be Advent-ing: orienting toward our hope in Jesus, pausing to hear from the Lord, declaring His presence, and seeking transformation. And we’ll be laughing, praying, reading, discussing, and eating while we do it.
What a great way to enjoy Advent.
Blessings,
Steve
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