Something must have startled me because I woke up in the middle of the night with my heart beating very rapidly. It was dark outside, probably around midnight. I could see the stars through a hole on a side wall. Joseph was sound asleep next to me. Even though I did not feel any pain, I felt as if my whole body was going to explode. I knew instinctively that the time of God’s coming into the world had arrived. I knelt down as best I could, and I gave Him glory, magnificence, thanks and praise for choosing me, this humble servant, to be the mother of our Lord. At the same time, I asked God to shine His light upon me, and for His grace in order to be able to undertake the service, worship and rearing up of the Word made flesh, whom I was to bear in my arms and nourish with my breast milk. I felt a profound humility because I held myself unworthy of becoming the Mother of God incarnate. I humbled myself in front of the Lord, and I acknowledged my nothingness in the presence of the Almighty.
Once I finished my prayers, I knelt in front of a manger that had been left by the shepherds for their animals. Joseph cleaned it the night before. He placed hay inside it and over the hay, the baby blanket that I had brought with me. He said that it was best to be prepared in case the baby decided to arrive early. I raised my eyes to Heaven, my hands joined and folded at my breast, and my soul wrapped in the Divinity of God. I felt and saw that the body of the infant God began to move inside my womb. This movement filled me with incomparable joy and delight. My body became almost spiritual with the beauty of Heaven. It emitted rays of light, like a glowing sun, and it shone in indescribable earnestness and majesty, all inflamed with fervent love. In this position, I gave to the world the Only-begotten of the Father and my own, our Saviour Jesus Christ, true God and man. The infant God was brought forth from within me without pain or hardship. It had happened so simply and so beautifully, that it could only be by the divinity of God. Just like the rays of the sun penetrate glass without breaking it, that is how Jesus emerged from my body. He left me untouched in my virginal integrity and purity, making me forever sacred.
My Son, God’s Son, was born in Bethlehem. I grabbed Him, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and placed Him in the manger. I wanted to laugh, but instead, began to shed tears of joy. At that moment, I did not care if I was in heaven or earth, in a cave or in a palace. My Prince had been born.
While I was contemplating Him, I heard a commotion outside the cave which caused Joseph to wake up. When he saw that the baby had been born, his eyes opened wide. He hugged me and his tears got mixed with mine. In the meantime, we could hear voices approaching the cave. Joseph went outside to check who was there. He came back inside and said: “Mary, there are shepherds outside. They are coming to see the Baby.” I told him to allow them entrance. They walked in, and knelt before the Son of God. One of them told us that while they were guarding their flock during the night, an angel had appeared to them. The angel said to us: “Today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (1) And as we were walking towards the cave, we saw a multitude of angels praising God and singing.
The shepherds were dancing with joy. Their happiness was contagious, and at that moment, I realized that my Son would never be fully mine. He belonged to the world, and specially to the poor and humble, like the shepherds. They asked me if they could carry Jesus, and I nodded. Jesus was passed around, from shepherd to shepherd, and their joy made me laugh. When the shepherds left, they gave us milk, cheese, figs and honey.
It was all so simple that it was extraordinary. God had chosen a group of humble shepherds to be the first ones to receive the Good News. They had been chosen, just like Joseph and I, to comprehend not with the mind but with the heart. I hugged my Baby Boy and I sang His first lullaby. It was the song of Israel to their Messiah. It was the song that the whole world would sing to Him forever: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (2)
Reflection:
On this day, when the Messiah came into the world, many will be thinking how to spend more money, move to a bigger house or get a better job. What about me? What am I thinking today? Will I dance with joy like the shepherds or will I be like those people in Bethlehem that had turned their back to the Messiah? Jesus was born in Bethlehem 2,020 years ago. Does it matter? Will I allow Him to be born in me or will this be just another meaningless Christmas?
References:
Luke 2:11-12
Luke 2:14
Copyright © 2019 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment