Sunday, December 31, 2017

Seventh Day of Christmas Reflection December 31



Many wonderful moral lessons have been drawn from Mary and Joseph’s presumed search for a place to stay in Bethlehem crowded for the Emperor’s census. Compassion and justice for homeless folk and refugees. Hospitality to strangers. Welcome to the poor and needy. Even encouragement to open your heart to invite Jesus in. Many children’s Christmas pageants revolved around the holy couple going from door to door, only to be refused by often surly homeowners and innkeepers. Sometimes even the one who let them stay in the stable out back, perhaps at the urging of his kindly wife, gets short shrift as missing the opportunity to host the birth of the Son of God on earth. In much of Latin America, this search for a room is the nine day religious observance of Las Posadas, which is a major feature of the Christmas season. Now, anyone who knows me, is well aware that I am an advocate for justice and compassion for homeless folk, refugees, and the needy. We have plenty of Biblical support for such a priority. And I have no interest in altering the well-loved Las Posadas traditions. I think acknowledging its imaginary development enhances the Christian mandate to care for the homeless and refugees.

My concern in this whole series is to get us to read Luke 2:1-20 (and on into 21-40) and Matthew 1:18-25 (and on into 2:1-18). So as you read Luke’s and Matthew’s accounts of Jesus’ birth again today, pay attention to exactly and only what is actually written there. Nothing suggests Mary and Joseph were wandering the streets of Bethlehem desperately seeking a place to stay. By whatever means, the home whose guest room was occupied welcomed them to stay near the manger, even if that might have been in the kitchen and not a stable. Though Matthew’s account of the flight into Egypt does properly evoke sympathy for political refugees fleeing violent despots, he does not say anything about whether they had an easy or hard time finding short or long-term lodging with the Jewish community in Egypt or along their way.


So how is your impression of Mary, Joseph, and infant Jesus’ stays in Bethlehem and Egypt enriched as you reread Luke and Matthew aware they do not mention a search for lodging?

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