Random Musings from Christmas Season

As we celebrate the Epiphany, and close out the Christmas Season, there have been some random thoughts crossing my mind ...

We hear much about the shepherds and wise men visiting the baby Jesus.  But what about the relatives of Joseph in Bethlehem?  Did they spend time with the Holy Family?  Every day?  Did they clear space for them in their homes immediately?  Or did they think they were just crazy?  And how about the people of Bethlehem?  Surely they heard the commotion, and were told what was going on.  How many of them believed?  How many of them took the opportunity to gaze upon the Face of God?  And how many went about their merry way, oblivious to the Gift in their midst?

Speaking of the wise men ... and the star they followed ... I realized at Mass that today there are millions of stars that can lead to Jesus ... us.  The problem is some of us don't shine as brightly as we need to to get people to follow us.  

I wonder if anyone found it odd that one of the gifts from the wise men was myrrh.  Why give a child something that is more common for the dead?  (Although I am reminded of the saying that from the minute you are born you are constantly one step closer to death...)

What about Mary's family?  When did they receive news of Jesus' birth?  Did they make the journey to Bethlehem to visit Him?  

I imagined the birth of our Lord happening in today's day in age.  So many things would have been different.  For example, on the plus side, the world would have been able to watch His arrival because someone in Bethlehem would have captured it on their cell phone.  On the downside, social media probably would have made it very easy for Herod to find the Holy Family.  

I still can't believe how fortunate we are that God chose to come here in human form, and all of its constrictions, and suffer for us.  His love is incomprehensible. 


I hope you had a wonderful Christmas season.  God Bless you and your families.

Mary Christmas

I've been thinking a lot about Mary lately.  

Given the recent Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and the ongoing Nativity story during Advent, it is hard not to.

Mostly I have been trying to "feel" what it must have been like for her the day the Angel Gabriel came to visit her.  

I'm trying to remove the numbness that hearing the same passage over and over brings with it.  

Trying to get past the words I have heard hundreds of times.  

Trying to forget that I know the answer in the back of the book.  

Mary was given a choice.  Say yes, or no, to a request that is almost beyond human comprehension.  

In her early teens.  

And by the way, saying "yes" to God's Will would bring with it the overwhelming threat of public humiliation and, likely, punishment by death.  (Side note ... was Mary the first person that every risked her life for Jesus?  Interesting.)

In any case, we have the luxury of knowing how the story ends.  Mary, at least to our knowledge, did not.  

She had to say yes to an idea that probably went against everything she had expected.  The Savior they had been waiting for was going to be born to a virgin?  In the poor area of Nazareth?  To her???

It was her faith against all that.  And her faith won.

May God grant all of us just a small portion of our Blessed Mother's faith ...

I hope you are all having a Blessed Advent.

Where Did the Gifts Go?

I often wonder what happened to those gifts the Magi brought the child Jesus.  

Did the Holy Family keep them?  Barter with them?  Give them away?  

As I contemplated this at Mass last week, I felt God asking me a similar question in return.

He was asking what I did with all the gifts He gave me!

(Maybe I need to do less wondering and more works for Him!)

God Bless you.  

The Day After Christmas, Then vs Now

In this day and age, December 26th is a bit of a letdown for most people.  

The presents, the feasts, the music ... all of it has been replaced with a dose of reality.  Some call it a Christmas Hangover, others the Christmas Slump.  

But I wonder what the day after Christ's birth was like for those in Bethlehem.  Sure, Mary and Joseph had to deal with a newborn - which was life-changing in its own right. 

(We interrupt this blog post for a tangent.  Did you ever think about life for the Holy Family those first few days?  How long was it until they found a better living situation?  How many visitors did they have the day after?  What were people in Bethlehem saying?  How many residents of the city even knew what happened?  What did Mary and Joseph talk about?  Did Joseph find any relatives?  How often did the baby Jesus cry?) 

In any case, I'm guessing there was no hangover for them at all.  Or the shepherds.  Or any of those that witnessed the Miracle in their midst.  

I bet they felt hope.  Yes, it might have been coupled with some wonder and questions.  But I bet it was quite different than what society feels today.

The reason is obvious, of course.

Their Christmas was truly focused on Our Savior.  

Today's Christmas seems to be focused on anything but.

I hope you and your families are having a blessed Christmas season.  God Bless you.

Forgotten People

Thursday marked the Feast Day of Sts. Joachim and Anne. 


These two Saints represent the parents of Our Blessed Mother, although neither is mentioned in the Bible itself. 


Now before you are too impressed that I knew that, I should probably come clean.  I only know this because I read The Saint of the Day, and they happened to be the feature two days ago.  Sadly, the truth is that I forgot all about them.  


In fact, as I read the tribute to them, I started to feel embarrassed that I never ponder what good parents they were to Mary.   The lessons they must have taught her.  The strength they must have given her.  The role they played in our Salvation.  Nope, instead, I jump right from God to Gabriel to Mary to Jesus.  


But then, at the end of the summary, was this:


Joachim and Anne—whether these are their real names or not—represent that entire quiet series of generations who faithfully perform their duties, practice their faith and establish an atmosphere for the coming of the Messiah, but remain obscure. 


And then, it dawned on me how many Joachims and Annes there have been throughout Christianity.  Thousands of Holy people that did simple things like passing on a tradition, teaching the faith, or proclaim God's word.   People that will never make a holy book.  Will never have 15 minutes of fame.  Will never be revered.  


People I will never think about or appreciate.  


And yet, they hold a special place in God's heart.  They carry out His will, spread His word, and proclaim His kingdom.  


Heck, given that, maybe someday, someone will forget about us, too.


God Bless.

I Wonder

I wonder what it was like to go from "nobodies" to the Earthly parents of the Most Important Person Ever to Grace the Earth.  In the blink of an eye.
 
I wonder what plans Mary and Joseph had for their future - before God laid out His plan.

Speaking of, I wonder what it was like to be sitting there minding your own business only to look up and see the Angel Gabriel speaking to you.

I wonder what it was like when Mary saw that Elizabeth was indeed pregnant.

I wonder how hard it was for Joseph to believe, when human logic told him otherwise.

I wonder what it was like to travel 100 miles while very pregnant (and with a very pregnant wife). 

I wonder exactly what that nativity scene looked like.

I wonder what it was like - to wonder what it would be like - to raise the Savior of the World.

I wonder what message God is sending us by choosing such an "ordinary" family, and modest setting, for the birth of His only Son.

I hope you are enjoying the wonder of this Advent season.

God Bless.

Pregnant + Desert - Epidural = Sacrifice

I love looking at Nativity scenes.

Mary and Joseph proudly looking over their Son, who is in swaddling clothes and nestled comfortably in a manger.

Wise men on one knee, presenting gifts to the new King.

Shepherds looking on in adoration, with a sheep or camel nearby.

Maybe even a single light bulb casting a soft glow over the entire set.

Those scenes are always so peaceful, but they betray the challenges that must have led up to that perfect moment.

Take the journey, for example. Bethlehem is about 90 miles from Nazareth. That journey must have taken over 5 days given the trail and Mary's advanced pregnancy. I've never been 8+ months pregnant or on a donkey in the desert, but I have a hunch the combination is probably extremely uncomfortable. I'm sure it was also littered with bandits, treacherous hazards, and extreme temperatures.

Or what about the delivery itself? In a stable? On hay? With animals around? And no drugs?

Let's not forget eight or nine months before all that, Mary had to find the courage to tell her parents and future husband that She was pregnant. Can you imagine how that conversation went, especially after She told them the Father was God? Not only was that probably a terrifying conversation, but one that could have led to her death!

And in between, I'm sure both Mary and Joseph had to overcome serious doubts, fears and concerns. What would the Son of God look like? Was He going to come out speaking? Glowing? Was it all really happening to them? How would they know what to say to Him? Would they be able to teach Him anything at all? Would He lead Israel in some kind of war? Would He be able to fly or walk on water?

I always take for granted that I know what happened thanks to Evangelists like Luke - but Mary and Joseph were running on 100% faith.

That's why every time I see a Nativity scene, I not only reflect on the birth of our Savior, but on the incredible sacrifices Mary and Joseph made, and the inspiring faith they had.

I hope you are having a blessed Advent.


P.S. I almost signed off without reminding you that Mary and Joseph went through all of that at the tender age of 16ish.

P.P.S. Stay tuned for follow up posts entitled "How to escape to Egypt when a king wants to kill your baby" and "Traveling through the desert with a Newborn"

From a Guy in a Red Suit to a Baby in Swaddling Clothes

Advent.

My, how that word has changed meaning for me over the years.

The word itself comes from the Latin word meaning "arrival" or "coming".

When I was a kid, the word Advent was always followed by the word calendar. And, unfortunately, back in those days, the only "arrival" I cared about was that of a portly old man with a red suit and some flying reindeer.

As I got a little older, I still viewed Advent as the "countdown" to my favorite day. But I also started to become more fascinated with the historical events that led up to Christ's birth. I started to spend more time trying to learn exactly what Mary and Joseph went through, what the real "Nativity" scene looked like, and what kind of clothes actually swaddled.

These days, now that I am wiser (cough cough) I finally appreciate Advent for what it is spiritually - a time to reflect on the amazing Gift our Father gave us on that Christmas Day, as well as a reminder to prepare for the next coming of our Savior.

To that end, I have been thinking a lot about the similarities between Christ's birth and His Second Coming.

No one knew when the Son of Man was coming the first time. They didn't know the time. They didn't know the place. They didn't even know the generation.

The truth of the matter is that the day the King of Kings was born, most people were probably going about their normal daily routines - good and bad. Worrying about money, events in town, and other worldly things.

Likewise, we don't know when Jesus will come again. Nor do we know when God will call us individually.

The best we can do is to make sure we are always prepared. Always ready. Always thinking about things important to God and the Kingdom.

Easier typed than done, of course. But at least these days, I am preparing for Jesus, instead of an imaginary man from the North Pole.

God Bless.

Joseph Was What???

We had a guest speaker the other day at our church, who gave a very moving lecture on Joseph and Mary.

Some of the discussion was reflection on their Holiness, and some of it was thinking about what life for them was like. (You know I love doing that)

I almost fell off my chair, though, when our speaker said "Well, you know Joseph was only about 16 right?"

What??

The Earthly father of our Lord .... a teenager?

The strong carpenter I've seen in pictures - like the one in this post? A mere boy?

The blessed man who had the maturity to trust in God despite the "unique circumstances" around his wife? He was how young?

Sixteen??

Like I said, I was blown away.

I'm not sure why I never thought about it, to be honest. Probably because every statue and picture of Joseph shows him as ... well, older.

I knew Mary was probably young. And it would make sense to assume Joseph was around the same age. But I never took time to think about it.

Shame on me.

I know 16 back then was a lot more mature than 16 is now. But it still magnifies how amazing Joesph's (and Mary's) faith was.

St. Joseph, thank you for saying "yes" to God. Please help us to have the great faith and trust that you had.

God bless.

Don't Miss Jesus!

I just came across a post at Simply Catholic that really made me stop and think.

A long time ago someone once told me that when Jesus died on the cross, the odds were that no one really noticed. What he meant was that this enormous event in our religion was just another daily occurrence for the people in those days. And the odds were, people were just going about their daily routines when Christ died to save us.

They missed it.

Simply Catholic posts about the same lesson, however, this time it is about the Holy Family's trip to Bethlehem. Click here to read it.

Please remember to keep Jesus front and center this Christmas season. Don't miss him!

God Bless.