Day 24 · The Nativity Fast
Rain upon a Fleece
“He shall come down as rain upon a fleece; and as drops falling upon the earth. In his days shall righteousness spring up; and abundance of peace till the moon be removed.”Psalm 71:6-7 (72:6-7)
Reflection
Psalm 71 (72 in most English Bibles) is a prayer for the king, and the Church reads it at the Royal Hours on Christmas Eve. One line in the Greek text has long delighted Christian readers: he shall come down “as rain upon a fleece.” It recalls Gideon's fleece, soaked with dew while the ground around it stayed dry (Judges 6:36-40), and the canon of the Nativity takes it up: “Like the rain upon the fleece, and like drops of dew falling upon the earth, O Christ, didst thou descend into the Virgin's womb.” God came quietly, without violence or noise. He often comes to us the same way.
A prayer
Lord, you came down quietly, like rain upon a fleece. Come into my life gently and fully. Soften what is hard and dry in me, and let righteousness and peace spring up in my days. Amen.
Carry this with you
Where might God be working quietly in your life, without any fanfare?