Lk 2:22-40
Dear Friends. “Silent Night” before Christmas is very different from after Christmas. As a society we are wired for the emotional high of Christmas. I like to think that there are two “Silent Nights”. One is the commercial version. This is central to the Christmas that is the mixture of the major commercial event, our deeply cultural commitment and a nice dose of spiritual reflection. This “Silent Night” terminates sharply around mid-day on the 25th. The second “Silent Night” is available any day of the year if we are willing to enter deeply into the Gospel story free of all the commercial and cultural baggage.
On the 26th, we are left cleaning up the wrappings and exchanging the gifts for the right size. The great consumer event eases to an end with the post-Christmas sales. It is totally disconnected from the experience of Mary and Joseph. Their “Silent Night” was a frightening experience of poverty and insecurity. They handled it well because of their mutual support, love and trust rooted in deep faith.
In the Gospel of Luke, which is much gentler than Matthew’s Nativity story, we have the following elements. Mary and Joseph are on the road in the final days of her pregnancy. Everything is different. Joseph had to worry about the basic necessities: food and water, physical security and lodging. Then add to all of these immediate but crucial needs the overwhelming fact of the imminent delivery of the baby.
The music of the angels and the message of the shepherds were, no doubt, consoling but they did not bring any diapers or bottles or clothing for the infant. The insecurities of the poverty were still there when everybody left.
“Because there was no room for them in the inn” (Lk 2:7) may sound warm and fuzzy when wrapped in the “Macy’s” Christmas message and music but the reality was quite severe. It truly was a harsh and challenging situation for Mary and Joseph. They were totally uprooted in this most critical moment of the birth and the perilous days to follow.
The Temple scene in today’s Gospel, portrays a picture of a young family that had survived the crisis. The new parents are turning to God in adoration and gratitude. Here again, the cruel reality of their poverty opens up to the joy of recognition. Simeon and Ana represent a world longing for a Savior. After these many centuries of hope in the midst of human brokenness and sin, the elders see God’s loving response in the Infant.
Mary hears the two-edged message “This child is destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel, and will be a sign that will be contradicted – and you yourself a sword will pierce – so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. (Lk 2:34)
When all was done, despite the bleakness of their poverty, Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth and a sense of normalcy. “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom and the favor of God was with him.” (Lk2:40)
I would like to make two points for families today. First, Mary and Joseph clearly struggled to get what they needed to survive. This was possible because of their mutual support. This is the heart of the story. The relationship of Joseph and Mary sustained the entire ordeal. Their practical concern and love for each other was the source of their security. It transcended all material things. Love found a way. The few possessions they had supported rather blocked their love.
Today most families get lost in their wants, the things they really do not need. So often, we assume security is guaranteed by more things. A great example families face today is the dominance of the digital world. Do the phones, internet and both today’s and tomorrow’s latest marvel really contribute to the wellbeing and love of the family? In the quest for more things and security, where does love begin to take second place? In the seemingly endless pursuit of more of whatever that will supposedly make us happier, it is easy to lose focus. Mary and Joseph show us that love prospers in simplicity. The family lifestyle either enhances love or is a radical distortion of what the family is all about. In the end, family life is about love, presence and sacrifice for one another. We need to measure our lifestyle on these criteria.
Secondly, Mary was told a sword would pierce her heart. This is obvious in the story of the Gospel as it unfolds leading to the foot of the Cross. The same experience, in some degree, awaits any loving parent. It is the nature of the family that love demands letting go to give life. This is the case from the womb to the tomb. Being a truly loving parent is a slow process of the Gospel story of the seed dying to give life. From the first diaper to the last degree from school and beyond, the entire journey is the sword for every parent. They need to let go to give life.
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