Today it's birth stories - or their lack - that we are invited to reflect upon.

Two out of the four gospels have infancy narratives; one, Luke, actually explicitly refers to the birth... Matthew is more oblique reference about Joseph not having sexual relations with her until after the birth. And in Luke, it is 'half a verse': 'she gave birth to her firstborn, a son...' Just eight words in the NIV; six in the Greek NT I checked.

We all know how odd this story is, a deity born in obscurity, and seemingly so un-pass-remarkable that only Matthew (paralleling the story of Moses) and Luke (appealing to people of other faith backgrounds) even mention it.

I wonder how the Christ is born, or re-born in obscurity in the hearts and minds of people like us today?  I wonder what story we would choose to tell if we wrote our own gospel?

Today's prayer from the book:

God incarnate, as you took on human form and entered the world, you did so in a quiet and unassuming way.  The record of this actual moment is just one half of a Bible verse.  help me not to seek the glory of recognition for the things I do for you, for the exmaples of the works of light I embody.  May all glory be to God, the Creator of all. Amen