Born in a Stable....?

"God does some of his best work in caves." ~ John Ortberg

I have been thinking a lot about this quote since reading it this fall. At this time of year, I cannot help but reflect that the baby Jesus, according to some scholars, was born in a cave. Half a life ago, when I was in rural Greece, I realized that a stable did not necessarily translate into the traditional North American image because I discovered animals were kept in a cave in the hillside. As Jesus’ earthly life began in a cave so His resurrection occurred there too. God does do some of his best work in caves.

Oftentimes we think of Christmas as only the birth of the baby without considering the life of Jesus. Jesus came so that we would have Life. He became human and walked among us. He taught us how to love one another. He healed people. He worked hard and often took quiet moments to recuperate and reflect. He held out hope. He made people ponder what they were doing with their lives. He inspired people. He challenged folks. Christ turned everything upside down in an irreversible way. In 33 short years, his life made a difference. My former pastor used to say Christmas was messy. The passage to Bethlehem was long, arduous, and unwelcoming. The birth itself, he insisted, should never be thought of as sterile—most labours and deliveries are not. Christ is not born in a palace but he is a king. Oxen and sheep share his birthing room yet angels announce his arrival—to shepherds, of all people. Christmas is one of the greatest love stories ever told: God gives us a Son as a human infant so that we may learn to love as God loves—and to know we are deeply loved. My pastor was also a real fan of the Incarnation—of the Word becoming flesh and living among us. If we just look at the birth as the reason for celebration, we miss the point.

I wrote the above as part of my annual Christmas letter. Christmas carols have stopped playing on the radio and the magic of the season is shifting as people trudge through the malls looking for Boxing Day sales. I took a time out this afternoon and watched "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" with a friend. Hollywood did a wonderful rendition of the Swedish book. I want to not miss the point of these 12 days of Christmas. I went to mass today on the Feast of St. Stephen just to remind myself that the caves are linked. Christmas and Easter cannot be separated.

Peace,

Suzanne