Fortunately, my Christmas Eve travels were by Subaru… not by donkey or by foot. My travels were about 6 miles, rather than the 70-80 from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
And they were NOT to take part in a census, but were by choice to celebrate the holiday with friends and build some gingerbread houses.
But like Mary of the biblical story of the birth of Christ, I do share being waddling pregnant on the eve of Christmas (though she really didn’t know that she was about to start a huge holiday season with an entire industry revolving around it… not to mention, a new series of religions).
As baby’s arrival comes closer, I find myself worrying about typical parent stuff: will he be healthy? happy? how will this change the dynamic of the rest of the family? what will he be when he grows up? But, wow, compared to Mary, I have it easy.
From the annunciation… hey, Mary, guess what? You get to be the surrogate mother of the son of God. No pressure there.
Did Mary worry about whether the goat cheese she ate at 3 months pregnant was fully pasteurized? Or was there some comfort that carrying the child of God would guarantee you a smooth pregnancy?
When Jesus was born, did she make the decision to circumsize or not based on cultural traditions, the popular trend, or wanting the baby boy to be just like his Father?
Did she wonder and worry about the attention given to him by strange visitors, old men bearing gifts? Would that make you think even harder about the decision for the right age to let him use the men’s public restroom alone?
When Jesus was six years old and broke the neighbors’ wine vase, did she worry about Jesus learning responsibility for his mistakes as he tried to argue, “But mom, I just refilled all their other wine vases using my divine powers, so it’s no sweat?”
Is there a parent out there that doesn’t worry about the choices they make and how they impact their kiddo, regardless of who she, or her child, happens to be?
I remember having similar thoughts when I had my Christmas kiddo 8 years ago, in a sterile hospital (OR), with regulated heat, and no smelly animals. Oh, and an epidural! Good thing since they cut him out of me. We might have both died in Mary’s day.