December 25, 2021
Luke 2: 1-14
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child…
This miraculous story has become the predominant Christmas story for most Christians.
Everything about it is extraordinary, especially the fact that so many people, without the benefit of modern technology, would become aware so quickly that something unusual had happened in their neighborhood
We overlook many important aspects of this story:
-The discomfort of a pregnant woman traveling a great distance on a donkey
-The kindly innkeeper who gave her a safe shelter so she wouldn’t give birth in the courtyard where all the travelers slept in the open, He has suffered a bad reputation through the centuries. because people misinterpreted his compassionate act.
-The unmentioned women who were certainly present to help with Jesus’ birth
-The angelic messenger who told the shepherds that there was cause for rejoicing. He must have been someone special who was able to have the shepherds move their sheep to the manger.
A major message here is that Jesus comes to us in the ordinary unfolding of our lives
What do we take for granted or ignore in the busyness of this sacred season?
Jesus comes to us through the people we meet by chance and especially through those with whom we interact in the various communities in our lives: the family, work, social, faith, recreation, special interest communities that we often take for granted.
Angels appear to us all the time in ways that we sometimes don’t recognize – these are the people who capture the moments in our life when we need something special that is beyond our own capacity. These moments are among the gifts that money can’t buy. Are we tuned into the true blessings of this sacred season? JOY TO THE WORLD!
Luke 2: 1-14
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Meet Sister Maria Delaney, SNDdeN
