The Nativity—the first Christmas—took place amid total chaos! Uncertainty, inhospitable surroundings, and an unexpected threat to life characterises the nativity story. Given the circumstances, the messages of joy, peace, and hope do not seem appropriate in the Nativity scene.
“But God writes straight through crooked lines!” Evangelist Matthew recalls the prophecy and tells his readers the message of hope: “Those who were in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who were in darkness a light has shone” [Isaiah 9:1]. Despite the hostilities that surround us, we will not lose hope because Emmanuel, God-is-with-us, has entered human history. God has opted to walk with humans! These acts of encountering, listening and walking together are integral to the Nativity experience.
At this Christmas, when deliberations regarding a synodal Church remain so important, we are challenged to accompany each other, recognising and celebrating our diversity and listening with an open heart as we encounter Jesus Christ as the light of the world in the least among us.
Learning to listen is the first step toward becoming a synodal Church. As difficult as the message seemed to Mary, she opened her heart to the words of the angel Gabriel. Taking the time to listen without prejudice, Mary teaches us that listening with empathy could bring changes in our lives.
At Christmas, we are invited to identify those voices in our communities that are frequently overlooked or ignored, such as the elderly, young people, those from low-income backgrounds, and people who hold views that differ from our own. How does God speak to the Church through the voices we sometimes ignore? What steps can we take to grow in our commitment to empathetic listening to one another? St. Joseph teaches us to learn to make decisions by discerning what the Holy Spirit is saying through our whole community.
The young Mary and her much older relative, Elizabeth, were both on the road to motherhood at the same time. Together, they walked this road in joyful anticipation of welcoming their children into the world, supporting and encouraging one another. In society as well as in the Church, we are placed side by side on the same path, facing the same challenges.
How can we better support and encourage those in our community who are facing challenges? Mary’s prophetic canticle is both a proclamation of what God had done for her, and a declaration of what God is doing for all of us. Christmas invites us to profess our faith boldly as Mary did, and speak from the heart with freedom, truth, and charity.
As for the shepherds on watch in the night, our world today can sometimes be frightening and dangerous. Their fear was overcome by praising God in the presence of the heavenly hosts. “Walking together” in synodality means sharing in another’s hopes and dreams, troubles and sorrows. Does our celebration of Christmas and participation in the Sacraments help us walk together and listen to voices that are often ignored? – jose, cmf
