12-20-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
December 20, 2024
In Luke 2:3-4, we read:

Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. Since Joseph belonged to David's house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David's city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. 

Mary and Joseph followed the laws of Rome, in spite of facing an arduous journey. Even in ideal circumstances, such a trek would have been challenging. Today, if you were to be summoned for jury duty while nine months pregnant, a mere phone call could delay or dismiss your service. Within the Roman context, Luke does not provide an alternative for this young couple. Pregnancy will not give Mary and Joseph an excused absence from the census requirement. They must travel to the designated place. The destination and the journey to the destination are an integral part of the storytelling. It serves as a reminder that the everyday headaches caused by demands beyond our control do not necessarily disrupt the miracle-making of God. 

O God of the Journey, keep my focus on Bethlehem and the manger. Guide me even when unexpected requirements become burdensome and distracting from what truly matters. I pray this in the name of the one whose birth unfolded amidst peculiar and demanding circumstances. Amen.