Jesus lived in one of these humble houses …’ (José Pagola, Jesus, An Historical Approximation). I am moved by this picture of the houses in Nazareth at the time of Jesus carefully reconstructed by Pagola from the historical sources we have. If we had an idealised picture of Jesus growing up with Mary and Joseph in a four roomed house with a garden we can forget it. The reality was noisy, crowded and with little privacy – like a high-density suburb.
When you put this picture together with the destiny of Jesus to fulfil the decree of God in ‘flattening every mountain and filling every valley to make the ground level so that Israel can walk in safety’ you are amazed. The poetic words of the prophet Baruch (Ch.5) find their echo in the words of Mary, ‘he has pulled down the princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly’ (Luke 1:52). And further, this little child, playing on the patio, will come one day on the clouds of heaven in great power and majesty’ (Luke 21:27).
This is the time of year when we expand our vision. We look forward to the familiar picture of the stable in Bethlehem, but we try to grasp that this child is the Lord of history, the one who is at work everywhere to create justice, to raise up the poor and bring down the mighty. Ignatius of Loyola has us reflect how he did it; ‘how he was born in extreme poverty, and after many labours, after hunger, thirst, heat and cold, after insults and outrages, he might die on the cross, and all this for me’ (Spiritual Exercises #116).
We are in the season before Christmas, the time of Advent. We are preparing for the ‘season of good will’, the ‘time of cheer.’ The TV and supermarkets will have reindeer and jingles. All fine as far as they go; but the basis for the joy is that our freedom has been won. Call it salvation; call it redemption; call it what you will. We are no longer in thrall to anyone, least of all to ourselves. But it all comes with a price and this is always true, even at Christmas.
Post published in: Opinions & Analysis