There is an intimate connection between the wood of the crib and the wood of the cross. Between the mystery of the Incarnation, Christ’s birth in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, and his crucifixion some 33 years later. Familiar Christmas carols often reflect this reality. What Child is This? contains the words “Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the Cross be borne for me, for you; Hail, hail the Word Made Flesh, the babe, the son of Mary!”
The child born is born to die. Great suffering surrounds his birth. For his parents, an imperial census forces a journey away from home in winter, Mary near full-term. The birth is surrounded by poverty. There is no room at the inn, and the birth takes place unsheltered in winter, in the open air. The violence of Herod forces the Holy Family to flee by night and seek refuge in a foreign country, with little prospect of welcome, shelter or work. The King of the Universe, the Divine Son of God, begins and ends his life in poverty, naked and exposed to the violence and neglect of the world. A world in which wealth, political power, physical appearance and status count for more than the dignity of the person created in the image and likeness of God.
God evidently sees things differently than we do. Isaiah the prophet speaks of this: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord” (Is 55:8). Yet it is God’s way that saves us. God’s almighty power coming to us in weakness at the beginning of life and again at the end.
For Joseph and Mary, who both say “yes” to God’s plan, it is a downward path. From a relatively stable, predictable life in Nazareth they surrender much. They surrender their reputations, as their situation appears to involve adultery. They give up their future plans, as they are betrothed and have a vision of their life together in Nazareth. Joseph gives up being a father to his own children. They become refugees because of the murderous jealousy of Herod. They say “yes” to what God asks of them through the angel and accept all of the consequences of their obedience.
Mary and Joseph model for us the obedience, perseverance and sacrifice that bring the Divine Son of God to birth in the world. They change their own plans in order to embrace God’s strange way of redeeming the world. Their witness emboldens us to say “yes” to what God asks of us now with the willingness to let go of our own plans and our own ways. To embrace his will and to serve our brothers and sisters, particularly those who are suffering and in need in any way. To accept the challenge of seeing others through the lens of their basic human dignity, as created in the image and likeness of God, each with a unique human face and voice, with hopes and dreams, and often with great suffering.
Many in our world today are threatened by terrible violence and poverty, by the indifference of the world, realities not unlike those the Holy Family faced. To say “yes” to God’s plans, to accept God’s coming close to us and making his dwelling among us now, will involve sacrifice on our part. The surrender of our own attitudes and plans. The surrender of complacency, convenience and fear. The surrender of anything that keeps us from serving those with whom Christ has most identified himself; the hungry and thirsty, the naked and the stranger, the one who is sick or in prison, whom we are called to welcome and serve in the name of Christ (cf. Mt 25:34-26). They show us the face and voice of Christ; they share in this suffering.
May God bless you and your families at Christmas and in the New Year, in Anno Domini 2026 of the ongoing unfolding of the life of Christ in our world, until he comes again.
Bishop Gregory Kelly
Bishop of Tyler
