In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.(Luke 2:1-7)
Unlike the traditional celebration of Christmas, Luke’s story of the birth of Jesus lacks what our world often considers all the needed elements for a perfect Christmas celebration. There were no gifts. There was no banquet. There was no gathering of family and friends. Instead, Joseph and Mary were far away from home. They had to celebrate their firstborn’s arrival in an animal manger because “there was no place for them in the inn.” How scandalous! The Son of God! The Messiah! The Savior of the World could not find a place in the inn and was born a displaced person.
Jesus displaced himself from the privileges of being in the form of God to the form of a human being for the redemption of all people (Phil 2:6-7). In that state of displacement, Jesus set the tone of the new creation he came to establish. It was in that manger where Jesus sent the message that he would be found in the most unexpected places.
Jesus can be found amid displacement and rejection. Jesus can be found in political and social tension. Jesus can be found during economic crises. Jesus can be found amid violence. Jesus can be found in infirmity. The best way to celebrate Christmas is for us to displace ourselves from our conventional celebrations of Christmas to seek Jesus in the most unexpected and uncomfortable places. In doing so, we may find the greatest gift of all – God with us.
Almighty God, we receive the greatest gift of all, your son Jesus Christ, with humility, and we pray that we may be as generous as you are with us this Christmas and the new year ahead. Amen.
