I’ve been listening to the Christmas story as told through the gospel of Luke for decades. This year for the first time it dawned on me that Bethlehem was a city and when Mary and Joseph got there it was very busy and hectic. It’s right there in the Gospel that the census called “the whole world” to be counted, so it stands to reason that Bethlehem’s population swelled as those who called it their hometown returned. The Gospel is also very clear that Mary and Joseph couldn’t find a place to stay. Nevertheless, years of looking at quiet nativity scenes and Christmas cards of a stable that seems to be out in the country obscured from me the fact that Bethlehem was very busy.
As they navigated a busy city two thousand years ago, Mary and Joseph probably encountered some inpatient or rude people, waited in lines, got pushed or shoved, and maybe had their feet stepped on as people passed by. They were also exposed to the smelll of thousands of people after a long journey. Recognizing these very human realities has helped me to look beyond the Christmas cards and consider the details of the journey that Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem and that Christ took into this world in human form.
It wasn’t easy for them. The more I reflect on the circumstances of the birth of Jesus, the more I see the swirling, chaotic world into which He was born. Mary and Joseph were able to care for him, to prepare the way for the rest of us, not because they were immune from chaos, but rather because they trusted God despite the challenges of her pregnancy, the 100 mile journey to Bethlehem, and the crowds they faced when they got there. Jesus, as both God and a human infant, brought peace right from the beginning, starting with his family, who trusted God so fully that they had the strength to face every challenge the world offered, because of Him.
As you wind up this week and head into a well-deserved two week break, it is my hope and prayer that you experience the peace that Jesus brought to the first Christmas and invites you to live each day in relationship with Him. Merry Christmas.