Some Shepherds and a Shining Throng

December 22nd 2010

Lectionary Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Christmas Hymn of the Day 
"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night"

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground, 
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around. 

"Fear not!" said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind - 
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind."

"To you, in David's town, this day, 
Is born of David's line,
The Savior, Who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign."

"The Heavenly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,
And in a manger laid."

Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels praising God on high,
Who thus addressed their song.

"All glory be to God on high,
And to the earth be peace;
Good will henceforth from heaven to men,
Begin and never cease!"
 
Based on Luke 2:8-14
Luke 2:8-16

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign to you:  You will find a Babe, wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.'   

And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: 

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men!" 

So it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us now go even into Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.'  

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe, lying in a manger."  (KJV)

Meditation 

"While shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night" is a beautiful, pictorial hymn, a Christmas CAROL in the finest style.  It was written by Nahum Tate in the late seventeenth century and first appeared in the "Supplement to the New Version of the Psalms" in 1700.  It was one of six hymns he wrote for Christmas, Easter and Communion.  Only this one, the Christmas one, which is based on St. Luke's version of the nativity story as recorded in Luke, Chapter 2:8-14, survived.  It has not only survived, but has become so permanent a part of the celebration of the holy season that it will last as long as Christmas exists.  It is impossible for me to imagine a Christmas season going by without my hearing, playing and/or singing this lovely carol. 

The singing of hymns as we know it today was non-existent in England the the United States from the beginning of the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century until the dawn of the eighteenth century.  Singing during this time was mostly in rhyme or Psalms, set in verses.  

As time moved on,  more modern congregations began to demand changes in the style, language, and character of those earlier days, and they wanted additional material for their worship services.  In 1696, Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady published a supplement to their work which consisted of 16 hymns in addition to the more metered Psalms.  One of these hymns was this Christmas carol of Tate's, describing the angel's appearance to the shepherds.   

King William III gave his official endorsement and approval to this "new" supplement to the hymnal that was then in use, and it eventually made its way into America, where it was adopted by the American Episcopal Church in 1789.  

Nahum Tate was born in Ireland in 1652.  He was the son of an Irish clergyman and was educated at Trinity College.  In 1690, he was named "Poet Laureate of England" for the court of William and Mary during their reign.   Tate was rather a "party" animal and eventually spent all his money and ended up dying in 1715 in a debtor's refuge, drunk and alone, in Southward, London.  

During the "lambing season" every spring,  shepherds would sit all night beside their flocks, watching for wolves and the many other dangers that plague flocks of sheep.  Sometimes the shepherds would feed orphaned lambs with milk on a soaked rag, and would do anything they could to safeguard the lives of the sheep that were entrusted to their care and keeping. 

I have a cousin who was a shepherd at Pierce College in California while he was in school, and he has given me insight into the life of a shepherd that I could never have gained anywhere else or in any other manner.  I was particularly fascinated with his explanation about the sheep "knowing" their shepherd's voice . . . often several flocks would be penned together and several shepherds would share the campfire and the camaraderie that sprang up when they were in one another's company.

No doubt this explains why the shepherds were "seated on the ground" on the night Jesus was born, for many scholars believe that the event actually occurred sometime in the spring - late March or April, and it would be natural for these humble men to be fearful, not only for themselves, but for their flocks as well when the bright light and voices of the angels shattered the silent night.  

When time came, such as in the morning, for the flock to move from pen to pasture,  each shepherd would call his flock and ONLY the sheep that were accustomed to following that particular shepherd would get up and follow him.   Knowing this gives me an entirely different perspective on the scripture in the Gospel of John where Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd who is willing to lay down his life for his sheep.  He says, "My sheep hear my voice and they know me".  I was pretty surprised to find that this is literally true. Makes me want to "know" Jesus so well, that I recognize His voice speaking to me!!! 

With what wonder they must have heard the exhilarating news!  Are we surprised that they left their sheep and hurried with "great joy", even if a bit doubtfully, to see the Holy Babe in the manger??  They just had to see this with their own eyes!!!

Can we not easily understand and forgive their seeming "dereliction of duty" to the sheep for whom, on an ordinary night, under ordinary circumstances, they would have gladly given their own lives to protect?  This night and these circumstances could hardly be called "ordinary" by any stretch of the imagination!!

This is probably as good a place as any to say a brief word about the style of this hymn.  You may have noticed the use of the words "hymn"  and "carol" rather interchangeably, but there is a good reason for the distinction. 

A hymn differs from a carol in that a carol tells a story throughout its verses.  It is difficult at best, and often impossible at worst, to understand the full meaning of a carol without singing or reading all of the verses. The story unfolds as you move from verse to verse and is incomplete if any are omitted.   The verses of a hymn are connected and organized around a single subject, scripture or thought, but they do not "tell a story" as such.  "While Shepherds Watched" is as an excellent an example of a "carol" that tells a story as any other I can remember.  When you hear and sing this carol during the Christmas season this year, enjoy the story once again!

Prayer -  Our Father, we see once again in the words of this charming Christmas carol, the important in Scripture of the shepherd who tends the sheep and provides for their welfare and safety. We confess that all too often we are like sheep who would go astray without the Good Shepherd to bring us back to safe pasture under His tender watchful care. We thank you that you have sent your Son to be our Shepherd, and we praise your Holy Name for your love, mercy and unfailing grace. We pray these things in the name of the Good Shepherd, even Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen ~

Activity -  Enjoy dinner by only the lights of your Christmas tree tonight.  Remember about special Christmases you have shared together with all who are present.  Think some about what it means to have those little lights of your tree pierce the otherwise gloomy night.  Reflect on how we are like the shepherds on the hillside over Bethlehem, and how we are like the sheep being guarded and protected.