Two angels
one man
one woman
and a baby
changed the world

Gabriel, an angel of the Lord (is there any other kind?)
asked Mary to risk her life
to bring a child into the world
a child of hope
salvation
liberation
a child who would be known as
Emanuel, God-with-us

One of Gabriel’s kin
went to Joseph, Mary’s betrothed
and told him to follow through
with the intended marriage
for Mary’s child was of the Holy Spirit
and his name would be Jesus
one who saves

An impossible story for
a more impossible world

We tell ourselves that life 
was simpler in the long ago
we’ve tamed this story
of God breaking into the world
with centuries of Christmas pageants
and lofty carols

Truth be told
Jesus was born to a captive people
in a smelly cave in use as a stable
under the harsh rule of the Roman Empire
he would become a refugee
before he turned three

Yet, Mary sang for joy
God’s promise would be fulfilled
through her – an unwed
teenage mother 
she changed everything
not just a little thing
or a momentary thing
she changed the world
and everything 
that would come next

the story is preposterous
we don’t believe in angels
so much these days
and we have lost sight of the Empire
that oppresses so many
steals our hope
and extinguishes our dreams

we, too, need a savior
or a messenger to bring us
Good News

Year after year we light
our candles
search for hope
yearn for peace
reach for joy
long for love
forgetting that the circle is complete

We are the circle of Light
God is with us in all our nows
we are the messengers of the Lord
we are the God-bearers
we are the Empire-breakers
we are the world-changers

When will we believe
enough to sing with Mary
and follow Jospeph’s 
courageous acts of love?

When will we trust
that Emanual is enough
we are enough
the world is enough

That all are included in this
circle of Light?

You’d think we’d know by now
that hope is worth the risk
of everything

God is waiting.

One day soon
maybe 
maybe we will all
echo Mary’s 
Yes!