Celtic Odyssey

Luke 2.22-40 (MSG; adapted): 1 22-24 When the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law: “Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God,” and also to sacrifice the “pair of doves or young pigeons” prescribed in God’s Law. 25-32 In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man named Simeon, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he’d see the Messiah of God before he died. Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God: God, you can now release your servant;    release me in peace as you promised. With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;    it’s now out in the open for everyone to see: A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,   

John 1:1-14 (MSG; adapted): 1 1-2 The Word was first, the Word present to God,    God present to the Word. The Word was God,    in readiness for God from day one. 3-5 Everything was created through him;    nothing—not one thing!—    came into being without him. What came into existence was Life,    and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;    the darkness couldn’t put it out. 6-8 There once was a man, his name was John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John wasn’t himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light. 9-13 The Life-Light was the real thing:    Every person entering Life    he brings into Light. He was in the world,    the world was there through him,    and yet the world didn’t even notice. He came to his own people,    but they didn’t want him. But whoever did want him,    who believed he was who he claimed    and would do what he sa

Luke 2:1-20 (MSG; adapted): 1 1-5 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to their own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. 6-7 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel. 8-12 There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They’d set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that’s meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has ju

Luke 1.26-38 (MSG; adapted): 1 26-28 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name was Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: “Good morning! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, beautiful inside and out! God be with you.” 29-33 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But Gabriel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You’ll become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He’ll be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’ The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he’ll rule Jacob’s house forever — no end, ever, to his kingdom.” 34 Mary said to Gabriel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.” 35 Gabriel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest will hover over you; therefore, the c