Pregnant and in labor, Mary and Joseph scramble to find shelter. Before these late-night travelers find the stable they were rejected at the inn. “No room,” the innkeeper told them. “No room.” Christmas comes again this year, maybe especially this year, to wonder if there is room for Jesus in our lives? But first, Christmas is about God wanting to room with us. Christmas is God leaving the gated community called Heaven and moving in with a food, finance, and shelter insecure family. Mary made room in her body and in her reputation for the scandal of birthing and mothering Jesus. Joseph made room in his vision of marriage and parenting to accommodate God’s purposes. The wise men showed up to the manger with their gifts, having made room in their schedule, priorities, and wealth to seek, find, and honor Jesus. On and on it goes. You could say that everything Jesus does from his birth to his Resurrection is about room making. Jesus’ entire life is the great reversal of the innkeeper’s words. As friends of Jesus, that’s our invitation, to live lives that reverse the world’s “no room” declarations! What powers us to take this direction and make this commitment? Christmas sentimentality won’t sustain us. Only this will help us and help the world, a deep appreciation of God’s desire and effort to room with us and our genuine response to that elegant generosity by offering an increasing amount of room in our lives to God.
A very Happy Christmas to you!
