Surprised by God

As followers of Jesus, the story of the birth of Jesus is a familiar one.  So familiar that we may assume that there’s not much in the story we haven’t already heard before.

Read from the point of view of the participants in the Gospel accounts – varied as they are – the story of Jesus’ birth is full of surprises.  Mary, for example, must have been very surprised to be visited by the angel Gabriel who brought some very unexpected news.  Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, was certainly surprised, as was the innkeeper, the shepherds in the fields and the evil king, Herod.  All of the characters in the Christmas story were surprised by God’s appearance in their lives.  Their reactions to God’s surprise appearance were as varied as the characters themselves: Mary said “Yes”; Joseph accepted; the shepherds heeded and hurried; the Magi journeyed; the innkeeper was generous; Herod responded to God’s surprise appearance in his life with a murderous anger.  Part of the Christmas story is that it’s not always the “good” folk in this world who take God’s appearance seriously, and it’s not always the “wicked” folk who ignore God’s appearance.

As many times as we have heard it before and as well as we believe we know it, part of the story of the birth of Jesus is that God continues to appear in human lives and in your life and mine in ways that are surprising, unexpected, sometimes disturbing.  The Christmas question is: How will we respond to God’s appearance?  Will we, like Mary, say a simple “yes”?  Or will we like the Magi, undertake an unexpected and perilous journey?  Or will we patiently accept, like Joseph?  Or, like Herod, will we treat God’s appearance as an unwelcome intrusion in our well-ordered life?  God’s appearance in life can be met with wonder, confusion, patience, anger, or joy, as the Gospels show so clearly.

But be of good cheer!  In a world dark with the bitter fruits of war, violence and oppression, God continues to appear in human life and with God’s appearance comes healing and reconciliation and hope restored, and joy!  We can rejoice and be merry at Jesus’ appearing.  For that is the way the world can be in Him.

A blessed Christmas to all!