A Christmas Meditation (1)

Let's take our thoughts back to 2024 years ago, to a place called Bethlehem. After a very long journey from Nazareth, Mary and Joseph did what need to be done in the custom house in Bethlehem, then they tried to look for an inn to stay. Bethlehem was a place where Joseph used to live, but his friends did not want to recognise him, he got dismissed everywhere, he went from door to door, and if he told them his wife is going to give birth soon, they sent him away even more quickly. Ah, how many tears has Joseph shed because of all these rejection! And poor Mary, so hopeful and patiently waiting for Joseph from day till night...We might feel indignant about this, but if we ask ourselves: how have I been preparing for this Christmas? Did I include Jesus within my life, have I ignore Him or closed my door on His request to follow Him? Finally they found a shelter outside Bethlehem - a cave used by the shepherds as a storing place. Can you imagine, the Son of God, the Word Incarnated, the King of Kings, could not be found in an inn, let alone in a palace, but in a remote, dark, lowly cave that lack necessities and was used for animals. “...the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matt 8:20) Yet, this was the first example He showed us: living in humility, obedience and poverty; be in this world but not of it. He asked us to follow Him, not only just simply saying it, or demand from Heaven and ask us to do it, but took our human nature to do it once and for all by Himself as a perfect example for all of us - this reality is so surreal yet so real, unbelievable yet undeniable. Another touching meaning of this is, no matter how dark or sinful our hearts have been, if we are willing to let Mary and Joseph to open that door in our hearts, we will find Jesus to dwell within us.

(Reference: The life of Jesus Christ and biblical revelations, Volume I, Ven Anne Catherine Emmerich, Tan Books & Publishers, 1986)