Mary with Child Jesus in Bethlehem

Our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the instructions and signs given to the shepherds, allowed himself to be found as a child wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. (OOCC, III, pp. 66 - 67)

On Christmas night when Christ was born, there was great joy in heaven. The angels and the heavenly host sang the hymn of glory giving God the highest honor and promising peace to persons of good will. The message of the birth of Jesus was announced to the shepherds. The wise men from the East came to adore the newborn King of the Universe with the guidance of a star. They worshipped him, offering him gold, frankincense and  myrrh. Though  the  event  of  Christ’s  birth  has  all  these  glorious elements, yet it was a very ordinary event. The child is born in a stable; there is no place for him in the inns; and the first visitors were ordinary shepherds. While a few men from the far off country visit, the important and the elite of the Jewish society totally ignore the event. Mary, living through  these  various  mini-events  within  the  event  of  Christ’s  birth, wondered and pondered. Probably she did not understand the full meaning of these happenings and doubts might have assailed her mind. But she was not disturbed, she had no words of complaint, and she raised no questions. She silently pondered over the event and surrendered her thoughts and doubts at the feet of God, probably speaking from her heart, “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done unto me according to your word.”

What does the event of Christ’s birth teach me? How do I cope with unsettling situations that come into my life? Am I able to ponder in surrendering faith facing situations of doubts and anxieties? Do I trust in God’s promises, like Mary?

And they [the shepherds] … found Mary, Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger … But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Lk. 2: 17, 19)