Pryce, Rick

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 39Issue 1 Seeing Through the Eyes of the Other Article 185-25-2018Christmas Eve 2017 Litany: A Three-VoiceDramatic ReadingRick PryceFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusPart of the Religion CommonsThis Sermons is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationPryce, Rick (2018) "Christmas Eve 2017 Litany: A Three-Voice Dramatic Reading," Consensus: Vol. 39 : Iss. 1 , Article 18.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol39/iss1/18 Christmas Eve 2017 Litany: A Three-Voice Dramatic Reading  Rick Pryce1   This was the sermon at the Lunenburg Lutheran Parish Christmas Eve service in 2017.  1 – Mary 2 – Joseph 3 – Shepherds 1 – Three witnesses 2 – Three perspectives 3 – Three voices 1 – Calling us tonight 2 – Calling us to the story 3 – Calling us to hear 1 – To pause 2 – To listen 3 – To reflect All – To respond  [Pause]  1 – Mary 2 – The mother of Jesus 3 – The mother of our Lord 1 – The un-wed mother of God 2 – A girl, really 3 – Probably no more than sixteen, and possibly younger 1 – A girl who said “Yes” 2 – “Yes” to God 3 – “Yes” to scandal 1 – “Yes” to risk 2 – “Yes” to the possibility of being ostracized by her family 3 – “Yes” to the possibility of being abandoned by her fiancé 1 – “Yes” to the possibility of being killed for being unfaithful 2 – A girl who said “Yes” 3 – “Yes” to God 1 – Mary 2 – The mother of Jesus 3 – The mother of our Lord 1 – Was no shrinking violet                                                         1 Rick Pryce is Pastor of Lunenburg Lutheran Parish in Lunenburg, NS, and a former member of Interfaith Grand River. 1Pryce: Christmas Eve 2017 LitanyPublished by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2018 2 – Placid, submissive, quietly taking what was dealt 3 – Softly sitting in the dark, singing soothing lullabies All – Not her! 1 – Mary, the mother of Jesus 2 – Was, in fact, a burning flame 3 – Was, in fact, a prophet of justice 1 – Was, in fact, a voice crying out in the wilderness 2 – Upsetting the apple cart 3 – Overturning the status quo 1 – Heralding the new creation 2 – Where justice and peace are the norm 3 – And foreigners are welcome 1 – Where the hungry are fed 2 – And the rich are turned away 3 – Where the poor are embraced 1 – And the mighty are stripped of their strength 2 – Where the anonymous masses are named by God 3 – And the arrogant are reduced to nothing  [Pause]  1 – Joseph 2 – The father of Jesus 3 – The father of our Lord 1 – Stoic 2 – Quiet 3 – Worker 1 – Provider 2 – Protector 3 – Dreamer 1 – Always in the background 2 – Always the silent partner 3 – Always in the shadows, behind the mother and child All – However! 1 – He is just as crucial to the story 2 – He is just as important 3 – And he is just as dangerous All – Yes, dangerous! 1 – Because he, too, said “Yes” 2 – “Yes” to God 3 – “Yes” to scandal 1 – “Yes” to risk 2 – “Yes” to accepting a wife who would be regarded as tainted 3 – “Yes” to public mistrust of his own standing and behaviour 1 – “Yes” to having to confront his own jealousies and fears 2 – Joseph, the honourable man 2Consensus, Vol. 39, Iss. 1 [2018], Art. 18http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol39/iss1/18 3 – Joseph, the radical lover 1 – Joseph, the overthrower of the expected 2 – Who refused to let suspicion set his agenda 3 – Who refuse to let fear dictate his response 1 – Also burned with divine flame 2 – Was also consumed with a vision of justice 3 – In which all are welcome 1 – All are welcome 2 – No matter how disruptive they might be 3 – Joseph welcomed the Christ-child into his own family 1 – And let go of the need for revenge 2 – And let go of the desire for retribution 3 – And let go of being in control of his life 1 – And lovingly 2 – Faithfully 3 – Dangerously 1 – Embraced his dangerous wife 2 – Embraced her dangerous son 3 – Embraced the dangerous new creation All – Coming to birth in front of him  [Pause]  1 – Shepherds 2 – The first witnesses 3 – First recipients of the Good News 1 – Glad singers of tidings 2 – Joyful tellers to all who would listen 3 – Praising and thanking God for what they had seen and heard 1 – Shepherds 2 – Biblical symbol of those who care 3 – Protectors of the vulnerable 1 – Leading their flocks 2 – Feeding their sheep 3 – Finding green pastures in which their charges can find rest 1 – But these shepherds are dangerous 2 – These shepherds upset the status quo 3 – These shepherds overthrow what passes for normal 1 – Not by what they did 2 – Not by saying “Yes” 3 – Not by their singing and telling and praising 1 – These shepherds are dangerous because of what happened TO them 2 – Because of what they were told 3 – Because it was shepherds who were told it All – Because of Who. They. Were.  3Pryce: Christmas Eve 2017 LitanyPublished by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2018 [Short pause]  1 – We need to remember the truth about shepherds 2 – In spite of all the good PR 3 – And biblical imagery 1 – They were assumed to be lazy 2 – Which might have been true 3 – They were portrayed as dirty 1 – Which was probably true 2 – They were regarded as smelly 3 – Which was certainly true! 1 – They were, in fact, viewed as outsiders 2 – As less than important 3 – As undesirable 1 – And these shepherds were also unreliable 2 – Remember what happened when they had their vision? 3 – Remember how they responded? 1 – They ran! 2 – They left their flock! 3 – They abandoned their duty! All – They had one job! 1 – “Stay with the sheep!” 2 – “Care for the sheep!” 3 – “Don’t leave the sheep!” 1 – And they left 2 – They ran off 3 – Leaving their livelihood 1 – Or possibly, even worse, leaving someone else’s livelihood 2 – In order to see a baby 3 – The child of an un-wed mother 1 – The child of a radical father 2 – Who had been born a nobody 3 – Just like them All – Just. Like. Them. 1 – Just 2 – Like 3 – Us  [Short pause]  1 – The angels came to shepherds 2 – Lazy 3 – Dirty 1 – Smelly 2 – Unreliable 3 – Shepherds 4Consensus, Vol. 39, Iss. 1 [2018], Art. 18http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol39/iss1/18 1 – Saying, “To you is born a Saviour.” 2 – To you 3 – To you 1 – A dangerous 2 – Scandalous 3 – Risky 1 – Saviour 2 – Through whom God says “Yes” 3 – To shepherds 1 – And outsiders 2 – And strangers 3 – And everyone who is considered “Other”  [Pause]  1 – Mary 2 – Joseph 3 – Shepherds 1 – Three witnesses 2 – Three perspectives 3 – Three voices 1 – Calling us tonight 2 – Calling us to the story 3 – Calling us to hear 1 – To pause 2 – To listen 3 – To reflect All – To respond 1 – Respond to the flame of justice burning within 2 – Respond to the new creation being born in front of us 3 – Respond with joy to the Good News being sung to us 1 – The lowly are regarded with favour 2 – The fearful are shown mercy 3 – The weak are lifted up 1 – The hungry are fed 2 – The outsiders are welcomed 3 – And the dangerous 1 – Scandalous 2 – Risky 3 – Promise of love 1 – Is fulfilled  [Short pause]    5Pryce: Christmas Eve 2017 LitanyPublished by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2018 2 – In you  [Short pause]  3 – This night.  [Short pause]  All – Amen.   6Consensus, Vol. 39, Iss. 1 [2018], Art. 18http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol39/iss1/18

Christmas Eve 2017 Litany: A Three-Voice Dramatic Reading

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Christmas Eve 2017 Litany: A Three-Voice Dramatic Reading

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