Let Jesus Show

Early in the 60's a professor at Yale Divinity School told a story about all the damn angels. He reported that at a typical Christmas program they had some excitement. He said this was like many congregations, you adapt the story to fit the needs of the congregation. He reported that this year they had two Mary's because they had two little girls who both wanted very much to be Mary. But Marys and Joseph and the baby were in place and then all the shepherds came in, then the Angels appeared, all the children in their white robes, and then the wise men came in and tried to find their place, and one of the wise men said out loud, "All the Damn Angels are covering up the spots." The little wise man could not find the mark where he was supposed to stand. But Dr. Muehl said that is what happens so much in Church the angels, the traditions, and the children get in the way of the story of Jesus.

Well, it was amazing to read in a Frederick Buechner story this year about another Christmas pageant that had almost the same results. This time when the crowd gather in the front of the church, and all of the people gathered around the manger, one of the little angels at the far end of the line of angels could not see the baby, and so she started pushing others out of the way and yell "Let Jesus Show." The Rector of that church pronounced the benediction after that powerful sermon. Let Jesus Show. Too much of what we do gets in the way.

Just this week a friend said that he did not believe that there was very much of Jesus in what is called in this country Christianity. He just could not believe that those who are publicly identified with the Christian faith in this country have even read the New Testament or they could not say most of what they say. There is a great need for all of us to Let Jesus Show. Let Jesus Show