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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