So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:4-16
“We can well imagine the scene: Joseph explaining time and again with growing anxiety, the same story, that they had come from… and Mary, a few feet away seeing Joseph and hearing the refusals… She probably encouraged him, telling him not to worry, that they would manage… So they made their lodging in one of those caves which served as a stable outside of town with the few belongings they had been able to bring from Nazareth: the swaddling clothes, some items that Mary herself had prepared with that joy that only mothers can experience when they prepare for their first child…
Jesus, newly born, does not speak; but He is the eternal Word of the Father. It has been said that the manger is a chair of learning. Today we should learn the lessons which Jesus teaches us, even when He is just a newly born child, from the very moment He opens His eyes on this blessed land of men. He is born poor, and he teaches us that happiness is not to be found in an abundance of earthly goods. He comes into the world without any ostentation, encouraging us to be humble and not to depend on the applause of men. God humbled Himself to allow us to get near Him.”
Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 1 (London: Scepter, 1993) 222-223.
Three times in this excerpt from Luke’s Gospel we read about the manger. Don’t miss the message of the manger: “God humbled Himself to allow us to get near Him.”
And don’t miss the excitement of the moment for Mary. The swaddling clothes represented the first baby outfit that she had packed for Jesus in her birth bag. Those cloths did not just appear from nowhere! She was prepared.
And Fernandez urges us to notice the lesson of the newborn. The first teachable moment from Jesus to us: “Happiness is not to be found in an abundance of earthly goods.”
God filled Mary and Joseph with happiness and joy as they welcomed Jesus, togged Him in his first outfit, and laid the bread of life in a humble feeding trough. God showered the shepherds with happiness and joy as they got the message and found baby in the manger.
And God lavishes us with happiness and joy as we celebrate together and proclaim the good news widely that “God humbled Himself to allow us to get near Him.” Seriously, we join the story as the sheep who find life only as we feed on Jesus, the bread of life.
Happiness and joy flow to all people according to the angels because the circumstances and the outlook for the future of all humanity changed for all time with the arrival of Jesus. Happy Christmas, indeed!
People ask me why I only say Happy Christmas and not Merry Christmas.
It comes from my study of the biblical languages. In the Old Hebrew and New Testament Greek, “merry” is not a good word; it implies self-indulgent living (cf. Ecclesiastes 10:19 and Luke 12:19).
Sadly, Christmas has morphed from a time of worshipfully and peacefully celebrating the arrival of our Savior to a season of noise, self-indulgence and seeking satisfaction from the purchase of consumer products.
On the contrary, the words “happy or blessed” echoes the response of the wise men en route (cf. Matthew 2:10) and captures the language of texts like the beatitudes (cf. Matthew 5:1-12).
Happy or blessed are those who celebrate the Christ mass. When we observe the coming of the Christ in the manger who has changed everything for everyone, our hearts cannot help but overflow with happiness and joy.
Happy Christmas!