Amazed

When the shepherds saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them (Luke 2:17-18).

            Recently, I was talking with someone about their experience of Christmas this year. He noted one of his neighbours had already started taking down his Christmas decorations. Another was asking him when he could put his Christmas tree by the curb to be picked up by the city. The man even stated his experience of Christmas had not lived up to his expectations. “All that work for what,” he lamented, “a few hours of happiness with my family.” His response caused me to wonder if our society has lost its ability to be amazed.

            In this passage from Luke, after the shepherds tell the story of what the angels revealed to them about Jesus in the field those who heard it were amazed and Mary treasured and pondered them. These responses remind us the significance of the Christmas story may be found in how God acts in unexpected ways.

            Mary was an unlikely candidate to be the Mother of God. First, the idea Humanity would have its broken relationship with God healed through the birth of God’s Son appeared unlikely. Becoming human meant God would have to take on all the limitations of our existence. God was eternal and all powerful. Why would God choose to act in this way? Next, Mary was a poor girl from an obscure town in Galilee. She was betrothed to a carpenter from the same town. He was a descendant of David the great Jewish King. Yet, he had no social rank or great amount of wealth. The couple were devout Jews but probably not much different from their neighbours. Elizabeth, a descendant of Aaron, and Zechariah, a Priest, would have been far more likely candidates for being parents of an important Religious Leader. However, God chose Mary and Joseph to be the earthly parents of His Son.

            Similarly, shepherds were unlikely candidates to receive a Divine message from Angels. Although shepherds were associated with the leadership of the Jewish People, most references to them in the Old Testament were not flattering. In Scripture, these shepherds neglected the needs of their people and looked after themselves. Although David was the shepherd boy who became King, he left the flocks behind to move ahead. During the time of Mary and Joseph, shepherds were low skilled workers who were employed by other people. They lived a precarious existence moving from one pasture to another. Most people were suspicious of them and regarded them as thieves. Yet, God decided to reveal the message about the Birth of the Savior for all Humanity to them. The Angels said they would find this great person in the form of a helpless infant, wrapped in baby clothes lying in a feed box for animals in a barn or basement.

            Perhaps the key to understanding the amazing thing about the Christmas story is the fact it happened as it did. A helpless infant who possessed infinite power born to parents who had no social standing, who were far from home and had no idea what the future would be for them and their son. This infant’s first visitors were not family or friends but strangers employed as simple labourers and had a questionable reputation. The birth of any child has the ability to stop adults, even the powerful or cynical and make them see the wonder of life. It was the birth of this child and what he represented, God’s intense desire to reveal His concern for us by becoming Human and overcoming whatever obstacle kept us from loving Him which reminds us of the wonder of the Season.

            On this Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God we are reminded of just how much God wanted Humans to play an essential role in the unfolding of His plan of Salvation. His Son was one of us. Mary, an ordinary Human Being, played a key role in bringing this to pass. Perhaps, in our search to discover the true meaning of Christmas we need to re-learn how to be amazed. Like Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, God may be inviting us in the New Year to become involved in unexpected ways in becoming the instruments by which others will be amazed by God’s Love.

January 1, 2020