Christmas is a widely celebrated festive event in most parts of the world. At this time, buildings will be illuminated with colourful lights, shopping malls will be filled with Christmas songs and carols, and shops will be adorned with sales signs enticing people to make purchases. People will be busy preparing for family and office parties or making lists of things to buy for Christmas. The festive season can be a very stressful time for many of us: we allow ourselves to soak in the festive fun and joy, but often forget to allow ourselves to soak in the presence of the Lord of Christmas. Perhaps, this year, it is time to make room for the Lord of Christmas to soak us with His presence by taking a contemplative posture. This just requires sitting with the Lord Jesus Christ with an open heart and mind and allowing Him to tell us what He wants us to learn about Christmas. We may be surprised by what He wants us to know.
Recently, I sat with the Lord and asked Him what Christmas is all about. He led me to think about the Nativity scene from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:1–21). The Nativity scene we see in malls and churches often start with the manger, with Mary and Joseph sitting next to the Baby Jesus, and then the shepherds and wise men come to pay homage. The Nativity scene in the Gospel of Luke starts from the time Joseph and Mary travel from their hometown in Nazareth to Bethlehem, so they can participate in the census. There wasn’t any modern transport such as buses, trains or cars then; Mary and Joseph would probably have had to walk most of the journey, if they had not sat on the back of a donkey (no mention about the transport used in this passage). It must have been really hard on Mary in such an advanced state of pregnancy. When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, the town must have been crowded with people like them returning to their hometown to take part in the census. Just imagine: Joseph and Mary had to fight the crowd and walk from inn to inn looking for a place to stay. To their disappointment, no inns had a room for them. By then, Baby Jesus was about to be born and they had no choice but to settle in a manger—not the best place to be in terms of hygiene and proximity to animals. Mary must have been uncomfortable giving birth to Baby Jesus in a place with the bare necessities. Soon Baby Jesus was born and the angels ushered shepherds in to visit the Baby.
Reflecting on this Nativity scene has made me realise how different the first Christmas was from what we know of Christmas today, especially in a modern city like Singapore. The first Christmas was far from festive; it was a quiet Christmas without any feasting or big celebrations. Perhaps Mary and Joseph were wondering what Baby Jesus would be like based on the prophecy spoken about Him earlier. A manger is not an ideal place to welcome the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Mary and Joseph most probably felt lonely as their friends and families were far away in Nazareth. In the midst of celebrating the festive season, there may be people among us or far away who may have to spend a quiet Christmas because of circumstances beyond their control, such as work or because of war. As we celebrate Christmas, perhaps it is time for us to remember the many Marys and Josephs who have to be away from their loved ones.
What does the Lord want us to learn this Christmas? In the midst of our celebrations, maybe it would be good to pause and spend some time with the Lord. We could sit next to Him in a contemplative posture and allow Him to speak to us and tell us what He wants us to learn about Christmas this year. Perhaps, such contemplative Christmas messages could be conversation pieces when we gather for feasting among family members and friends. As we contemplate, may our hearts be full of gratitude and joy as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ!
