Luke 2:17-20
17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, 19 and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.
Saturday, December 20 – Week of Joy
The shepherds in this story are the first evangelists to share the Good News of what God did for the world through the birth of the Christ Child. While Mary treasured these stories in her heart, the shepherds couldn’t remain silent.
The word for evangelism in Greek is “euangèlion” (εὐαγγέλιον), derived from “eu” meaning Good, and “angelian” meaning message or announcement. Previously used when proclaiming a king’s victory in war, the word took on a new meaning with the birth of Christ. Instead of just a bit of temporary good news, Christ’s birth transformed the word into the ultimate Good News of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ. So, as the first evangelists, the shepherds preached the good news by simply telling the story of what was proclaimed to them and what they were invited to witness.
While we may know the good news of Christ’s birth to this world, how are we showing that Good News through our actions and lives? It is not sufficient to merely tell the stories. Instead, we must allow the grace of God to transform our lives and help us become as Christ-like as we possibly can by serving as His hands, feet, heart, and voice.
Prayer: God of Good News, help us preach Your Good News with all of our being. Amen.
