In the gospels, the Christmas story varies.
In Matthew, we are presented initally with a long genealogy. This is not unusual throughout the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, but there are unique aspects of the genealogy of Jesus. The very fact that women are listed in that genealogy is downright shocking. This was not done in those times. Trust me when I tell you that many of them led complicated lives comparable to anything you might see in a TV novella or soap opera drama. Some of the women would have been considered women of ill repute. Imagine that, in the genealogy of a man believed to be the Master Spiritual Teacher, a Way Shower, The Prince of Peace. Messy, yes?
If we look to John for answers, it might mess with our minds a bit. "In the beginning was the Word," he writes. What does that mean? Words were present in the world long before Jesus. Does that mean Jesus was somehow at work in the world before the birth of his physical presence? That's a question that might challenge one's theology in a very messy way.
Jesus was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and placed in a manger, because there was no room at the inn, the biblical account in Luke denotes. A manger is basically a feeding trough for animals, and in Biblical times it would have been made of stone. One might assume Jesus was born in a barn. However, historically in context, animals were housed in the lower stories of homes for protection, with people living in the upper rooms. Still, all in all, a manger or feeding trough is most definitely a humble and less than hygienic beginning, to say the least.
These days most feeding troughs are made of plastic or metal. Often exposed to the elements to some extent, not to mention animal saliva, well, even if hosed down regularly, it's all very gross.
At one point in history, it was not uncommon for newborns in impoverished areas to sleep in a dresser drawer. If you're a fan of the British TV drama "Call the Midwife," you may have seen such a practice reenacted many times. A dresser drawer would have been a step up for the newborn prince of peace.
A manger, to my mind, was a messy beginning to a life of service in a messy world. It's an interesting thing to reflect on, the messiness of it all, and a bit abstract because we are barraged with deceptively tidy-looking images all season long of Jesus in a manger, usually in a barn, without so much as a piece of straw out of place. Anyone who has mucked out a barn would know that is an improbable scenario.
Birth, while usually joyful, is indeed a very messy experience. I wonder at times, after being told by angels the special nature of the child she was to bear, if Mary might have been disappointed by the messy circumstances of Jesus' birth, perhaps even appalled to have no place but a manger for him to rest in. I wonder if, for a time, she doubted or was even angry with God. I know I would have. In Luke 2:8-20, we learn what happened after Mary gave birth:
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they 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. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.”
If your Christmas is messy this year, and because the human experience is human, it probably is, I invite you to be like Mary, to treasure all these words and ponder them in your heart.
Know that it is a long-held tradition to have a messy and merry Christmas.
I thank you for reading.
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