LUKE 2 

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

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

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Today December 21st

is only a few days before Christmas.  Christmas is the season of celebration that anchors the year for us living in the West.  This has been the case lately, while I have been alive.  For generations this has held from what I can tell by an acquaintance with history.  Several evenings ago WTTW public television presented a program on Christmas in the time of the Tudors, the reign of King Henry VIII of England.  In 16th century England the Christmas season encompassed days of revelry, feasting, religious observance, performative ritual. Those were days of respite from the drudge of labor-intensive daily life  before the industrial revolution.  In that time Christmas lasted about two weeks, from December 25th until the 12th day, January 6th. 

Interest in the story of Christmas in King Henry’s time took me by surprise.  It seemed as if the tale was a message from my ancestors.  How much has changed from the 16th to the 21st century.  The Industrial age with factories, material goods mass produced by machines recedes in the rear view mirror.  This is the age of cybernetics, globalized communications, and supply chains.  Google, Facebook, and Amazon are global powerhouses: makers of pubic opinion, financial dynamos, and political puppet-masters.  Educated people with whom I am acquainted, find it impossible to believe in angels, or believe in God for that matter…

What have we done with Christmas, — the story of a baby, and of two working class first-time parents, gathered around a straw filled manager, impromptu hosts to a band of gobsmacked shepherds eager to see the newborn…  The men believed they had seen angels (divine messengers) and heard singing, heralding an arrival of someone who would spearhead a new beginning. 

God-in-a-manager.  That was/is a revolutionary thought.  The educated Roman thought the idea absurd.  The concept remains subversive twenty one centuries later.  Never mind to many of us angels are inconceivable,  Taxation remains what it has always been. The root necessity of government is unchanged, a brute reality.  A friend asked via email several days ago in the course of a discussion exchange that became a frank disagreement about public policy:

How would we make those who do not agree cooperate?

The answer is the same today, as always, as in the day of Augustus Caesar.  Agree or disagree still you must “pay up,” — pay your taxes or suffer the consequence.  Payment of taxes is equivalent to cooperation with the system in power.

And yet, and yet there is bound to be the reactive, revolutionary response, in a manger somewhere…

There has never before been as dire need of subversive eruption as now, when we are on the cusp of climate change catastrophe.  A single “no” vote from a Senator from West Virginia, who has a personal stake in the continued use of coal, threatens the death knell to any response to the looming devastation of Nature, as well as to communities impacted by severe weather events.

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So what tune is apt to provide impetus forward, energy for “heads up” living?  Not a Christmas carol, but this one works for me.  Lawyers, Guns & Money by Warren Zevon. 

Lawyers, Guns And Money