Wow… it’s Christmas!!! A time of joy and celebration. It’s the birthday of a King.
Christmas is without doubt a season of festivity and happiness. It’s a season to be cheerful and spread that smile across to the rest of the world.
But today just spare a thought for all that might have happened on that day about two thousand years ago.
Scene 1: In heaven
All the angels might have met every day, atleast a month prior at about 6pm to 8pm to practice for the choir singing they will do on that day. There may have been such a rush everywhere to make the ever beautiful heaven even more beautiful. The chefs in heaven may have been busy making the most fantastic festive meal that no Taj or Oberoi Chef can imagine making, but for God Almighty, it was a day of SACRIFICE.
He was for sure very happy on this day too but then on this very day he sacrificed being with His Son for the sake of the world. God knew what was to come upon His Son on earth, but with a heavy heart He sent His BELOVED SON to a world of sinners and patiently sat waiting for Him to come back again.
Scene 2: On earth
Let’s start with Mary – This young teenage girl having stupendous amount of faith in God went through a long journey, with this super cool CHILD inside her who was waiting anxiously to come out and see the world, whom the angel described as the ‘Son of the Most High’.
Now obvious doubts may have crossed her mind on how the ‘Son of the Most High’ would look? Does he walk or fly everywhere? Does he have some super powers like turning invisible or doing something else extraordinary? Will he be born with wings like angels? But knowing Mary she might have kept all these questions in her heart and just lifted it all up to God in a small prayer. 🙂
She did not get some fancy air conditioned ambulance with all facilities and the best medical supervision available (or probably she did, because God was present for sure), but she did not have it the easy way. She struggled a lot and the only facility she had to give birth to our Lord was that she didn’t have to walk; she had her very own hairy super slow vehicle called a donkey. Wooohoooo….
From Mary I learn this Christmas the value of patience, struggle and complete faith in God. It is not going to be easy to follow God. Mary stand as an example that when we say ‘Yes’ to God, there will be struggles, there will be pain but at the end you will for sure see salvation.
Now let move on to Joseph – I really feel sorry for this man. Just imagine his state that night. He is asked to take care of the two most perfect beings on earth i.e., JESUS AND MARY. If I was in his place I would not have ever opened my mouth and to add to all of his troubles, he could not find a place for the ‘impatient’ little baby Jesus to be born. What a mess it was for him.
Despite his travails, Joseph has a special role that night. When Mary may have been tired, it was Joseph (I am sure) who encouraged her to move on. Without any previous qualification or experience, he successfully carried out the birth. He was there to guard the virgin and the most holy child. For doing this he didn’t even get a donkey ride. He had to walk all that distance.
Joseph teaches me this Christmas to be committed to my calling. He was called by God to be there for Mary. He stood by that calling even when things got tough and difficult. He teaches me to be a guardian of purity and that God will qualify you if he chooses you.
Time for Jesus – Now he was inside Mary’s womb for most of the time so I cannot really tell much about him, but the very fact that our Lord was born to a human humbles me. Just imagine the belief and trust God had in Mary and Joseph that He himself came down as this little child who could not even walk on his own. Though God that He is, He was completely dependent on Mary and Joseph that night.
Jesus teaches me the gift of trust and the importance of being dependent on people at times. Most of the time we strive to do it all by ourselves and don’t like asking people to help us out, but just imagine that night even as heaven rejoiced, God asked for help. He asked for help, not from heavenly angels but from humans. Jesus teaches me the priceless treasure of humility and love.
The words of Mother Teresa come to my mind – every moment you love somebody, its Christmas here on earth. May you be able to reflect and relive Christmas every moment of your life. God bless you.
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