By Lori Whittemore,
Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people!”
—Luke 2:10
As I reflect on the days approaching Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus, I think about some of the similarities between then and now. I think of Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem to be counted as part of the Roman census, as many of us travel to see relatives this time of year. According to Kenneth Bailey, New Testament scholar and resident and historian of the middle east, they probably didn’t go to an Inn, but instead went to Joseph’s childhood home, because he was from Bethlehem. Like our homes at Christmas, theirs was probably full of relatives who had also been called to Bethlehem to be counted. Joseph’s family probably had to scramble to make a place for people to sleep, just as they had to find a place for Mary to give birth. I can just picture all the harried activity, with women cooking and preparing space for the guests, as well as preparing for the birth and then midwifing Jesus into the world.
This story was punctuated by the birth of a child that would forever change their family and the world’s story. In so many ways, this is true of every child that is born. Every child beckons us to be our best selves, so that we can show the child the way to live a good life. For Christians, Jesus was born of God to call them, his people, to be their best selves. For us, Advent and Christmas can be a time to reflect on what we have done with this call. As Advent comes to the realization of the birth of the Son, how may we be counted on to show our children how to live a good life? In what ways can we not only share the good news, but live the good news to help make it good news for all people? On this last Sunday in Advent what does this mean to you? I invite you to reflect on how you will live out this good news now and into 2020. How will you show this child Jesus and all children how you live your own precious life?
Lori Whittemore a spiritual care volunteer for the American Red Cross and Maine Behavioral Health, as well as the founder and director of Abbey of Hope and Clinical Pastoral Training Center of Southern Maine (CPTCSM). Through CPTCSM she trains chaplains and pastoral care givers with today’s varied religious and spiritual landscape in mind. Rev. Whittemore approaches interfaith ministry from her Christian background and training as well as her interfaith education at Chaplaincy Institute of Maine.
