It is there, in the middle of the gospel, in the very first words that are spoken. In this New year of 2023, let us remember:
“Do not be afraid.”
And then it gets even better.
“Behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
“A savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.”
These are the words we have been longing for. With this moment, the course of human history changes forever. God has become one of us. The savior’s very name proclaims the incredible truth that no one ever thought possible: “Emmanuel.” God is with us. It is a stunning thought, almost overwhelming.
And yet we are told: “Do not be afraid.”
Across two thousand years, those words reach out to us in joy and hope and consolation. No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter what your circumstances, this what matters:
Do not be afraid.
To the people of Uvalde, To those who lost someone they love in any tragedy this year. To the father without a job, or the children pulled apart by divorce or separation:
Do not be afraid.
To the sick and the suffering, the lonely and the lost ... to all those who feel that maybe God has forgotten you. To those who feel, as even Mother Teresa did, abandoned to the dark night:
Do not be afraid.
Because even in this darkest of nights, there is light. A savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. Here is our hope.
He didn’t come in grandeur or majesty, to intimidate us. He came as the most helpless and dependent creature of all: a baby, in a manger, in Bethlehem. He loves us so much, God came to us as someone we could not help but love.
May this New Year be one of blessings for you and yours, and as we face this new year, let us all remember:
Do not be afraid.