Luke 2:15,16 – When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
There are so many mysteries wrapped up in this story about a Child born in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. The image is one that is more mystical than fairy tales yet it has the ring of authenticity about it. As for the mysteries – How could a child be born of a virgin? How could God become a man? How could the creator of the universe enter His creation among farm animals? How could the angels announce His birth? How could the stars declare His arrival? None of these things seem possible but they are all very true. The mysteries are endless – How could the religious teachers miss His arrival? Why would a king be raised as the son of a carpenter? Why was He feared by the rulers of this earth as an infant? And then there are the questions that linger today? Why does the world stand still on Christmas Day? How does His Name invoke such love and allegiance and at the same time such scorn and hatred? Augustine searched these mysteries throughout his ministry, Here is a quote from one of his Christmas sermons describing His mysterious birth.
“Deservedly, therefore, did the Prophets announce He’d be born; also the Heavens and the Angels that He’d been born. He lay in a manger, and yet the world rested in his hands. As an infant, He was wordless, and yet He was the Word Itself. Him whom the Heavens couldn’t huddle, the lap of a single woman could easily cuddle. She was toting about on her hip Him Who carries her about the universe. Her breasts were running, but they were enriching the Bread of Life.
How the High has come so low! How Divinity has crept into humanity! The mother on whom the Infant was so dependent was so dependent on Him, the Ruler of the Universe. Her whose breasts He was suckling, He’d already been nourishing with Truth. He didn’t shrink from assuming our primordials, nor should we abhor donning His celestials. He wished to become one of our children in order to do something lovely for us; that’s to say, make us all His children, the children of God.”
For Christians the unusual nature of His birth draws us in deeper. We ponder His virgin birth, His humility displayed in His incarnation, the message of the angels, and we are brought into worship. The angel that spoke to Joseph said it all, “Call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”.
