20. the sun stands still: two nativities

"joshua declaimed:

'sun, stand still over gibeon . . . .'
and the sun stood still, . . .
till the people had vengence on their enemies."

(joshua 10:12-13)

if we find the story of the sun's standing still for joshua hard to believe, we should remember two things: the first is that joshua is a book of prophecy, not of history, and of course joshua's name in greek is jesus; the second is that the sun "stands still" twice a year, at the solstices. the nativity of jesus the messiah is celebrated at the winter solstice, the nativity of john the baptist is celebrated at the summer solstice.

the summer solstice: the nativity of john the baptist

if i were in charge of things, i almost certainly would have arranged for the messiah's birth at midsummer, letting the brilliance of the season announce the brilliance of the salvation and the new creation. instead it is john the baptist, the forerunner, who is born at the summer solstice.

john, the full light of the old testament summer, is but a prophet of the uncreated light to come. ". . . it was toward john that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the law were leading; and he," said jesus, "if you will believe me, is the elijah who has to return." (matthew 11:13-14) so john is born at the height of days, then says "he must grow greater, i must grow smaller." (john 3:30) the sun stands still at the northmost point of its journey, then heads south.

"the child that is born to us is more than a prophet; for this is he of whom the saviour says: among those born of woman there is not greater than john the baptist."

antiphon for the nativity of john the baptist (after matthew 11:10-11)

"the great forerunner of the morn,
the herald of the word is born,
and faithful hearts shall never fail
with thanks and praise his light to hail.

"with heavenly message gabriel came,
that john should be that herald's name,
and with prophetic utterance told
his actions great and manifold.

"john, still unborn, yet gave aright
his witness to the coming light,
and christ the sun of all the earth,
fulfilled that witness at his birth."

(the veneble bede)

the winter solstice: the nativity of jesus the christ

six months pass. the sun reaches its furthest southward point, and stands still again. in the northern hemisphere, "night has fallen." (john 13:30)

"in the deep midwinter,
frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow,
snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago."

(christina rossetti)

"when all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of its swift course, your almighty word, o lord, leaped out of your throne, alleluia."

christmas antiphon (after wisdom 18:14-15)

the messiah is born when all is dark and bleak and there is little cause for hope. (one might add that this is not only true of the natural world. luke's gospel reminds us that jesus was born at a time of great political hopelessness as well: "in the days of king herod of judea . . . at the time [of] caesar august . . . " (luke 1:5, 2:1), despotism and pagan rule seemed firmly established.) but this is the time the sun stands still, and turns around, when

". . . the tender mercy of our god
. . . from on high will bring the rising sun to visit us,
to give light to those who live
in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet
into the way of peace." (luke 1:78-79)

the church gathers to proclaim this coming of the light at midnight on christmas eve. people who would never visit a church at any other time gather instinctively with the faithful to celebrate this awesome event. whatever theology we may profess the rest of the year, on this night we answer the call:

"o come, all ye faithful,
. . .
come ye, o come ye, to bethlehem.
come and adore him."

and we leave, walking out into the darkness now strangely made bright, singing

"joy to the world
. . .
let heaven and nature sing."