David Quinn
The night of Jesus’s birth must have been a very mixed experience for Mary and Joseph. Their chid was born and that would have been a happy experience, but they were away from home, they could not find a room for the night and therefore their baby was born in a manger. That was not an auspicious beginning for their child. And then, according to the Gospel of Matthew, they had to flee to Egypt in order to escape the wrath of Herod who was terrified of the prophecy that a boy would be born who would one day replace him as king. Is this how you would want your family life to begin?
But, of course, the story of the extremely difficult start to the life of the Holy Family is overwhelmed by the fact of who Mary had given birth to, namely Jesus, the Messiah, the Saviour, the Son of God, God Incarnate, the Word Made Flesh.
Nativity
This is why the nativity scene is ultimately a happy one, even though Jesus was born in a stable, surrounded by animals, and then shepherds, and eventually the Three Wise Men, and not the family of either Mary or Joseph, which, when you think about it, is rather remarkable.
In those days, and down to very recent times, the vast majority of babies would have been born at home and surrounded by members of the family of both parents, with the women in particular keen to lend a hand. There might have been a mid-wife present as well.
It is one thing for Jesus to have been born to a humble family, and raised for most of his childhood in a humble town, namely Nazareth, but it is quite another that when he was born no members of the family of either Joseph or Mary were there, because circumstances made it impossible. That is unusual by any circumstances, and rather sad when you think about it, especially for Mary. This can’t have been what she dreamt about when she became pregnant with Jesus.
But even though the Christmas story is an overwhelmingly happy one, the fact that there is also an element of sadness to it, and that Mary and Joseph were away from their families for the birth of Jesus, reminds us that Christmas from that day to this can be a mixed experience for people.
My father did talk about the Christmases he experienced when he was a child though, and I think it was because they were generally miserable affair”
Take my own parents, for instance. My mother was from a happy family from what I can gather they had nice Christmases. I wish now I had asked for more details. For instance, who would visit on Christmas Day? Or who would her family visit? What kind of presents did they get? (She was born in 1932 so I would imagine the presents were modest). What they did eat on Christmas Day?
I’m guessing that ate the same as what my mother used to cook up on Christmas Day when we were growing up, namely turkey and ham and then the pudding.
But she didn’t talk about what Christmas Day was like when she was a child. I guess it didn’t occur to her to do so. She was a quiet enough woman anyway.
My father did talk about the Christmases he experienced when he was a child though, and I think it was because they were generally miserable affairs. His parents did not put up a Christmas tree, they did not appear to get on very well, and they received few visitors. He was an only child, which meant he had no-one to play with on Christmas Day. Not cheerful.
Lonely
A fellow I have the occasional pint with does not like Christmas at all. It is not that he dislikes Christmas per se, but I think he finds it a fairly lonely time of year, especially the day itself. It can remind you of what you don’t have in your life. A lot more people than we think probably have lonely Christmases and it does remind them of what they are missing.
At Christmas, like over the rest of the year, there are still plenty of homeless people for whom there is almost literally no room at the inn”
It is also one of the times of year when children whose parents have gone their separate ways have to divide their time between two households, when in most cases, the children would have much preferred that their parents were still together.
It is precisely because Christmas is such a family time that it can bring home that you might not have a family anymore, or that yours is in a bad state of repair.
And at Christmas, like over the rest of the year, there are still plenty of homeless people for whom there is almost literally no room at the inn.
Knights of St Columbanus
This is why the Knights of St Columbanus organise a special Christmas day every year for the homeless. If there were not any Christians doing such a thing at this time of year in particular, that would simply defeat the purpose of Christianity.
It’s a good sign that the Knights are oversubscribed with volunteers to serve at the dinner. That’s the true spirit of Christmas. And let’s not forget all the good work other organisations like the Society of St Vincent de Paul do to help the poor and the lonely have a good Christmas.
When I lived in Australia, I did some volunteer work for the Society and I remember that after Christmas we would go into some of the trailer parks and it was sometimes then that the poor who lived in the caravans, or ‘trailers’ needed money most of all. One woman had spent her remaining money on presents for family and friends over Christmas and had nothing left.
Christmas is a time to count our blessings, and consider also those who don’t have so many to count”
If she didn’t have the Society to fall back on, she might not have bought so many presents, but on the other hand she would not have had a very happy Christmas. The money from the ‘Vinnies’ helped her pay her utility bills.
Christmas is a time when we return to our hearth and home. We renew relationships and deepen other ones. Imagine if there was not such a time of year at all? It is very necessary, and this is without even considering the religious aspects. It’s fitting that it takes place right in the middle of Winter because it helps to break up the season and it gives us something to look forward to in November and December as the days draw in.
Above all, Christmas is a time to count our blessings, and consider also those who don’t have so many to count.