It all began with a tax bill and a government order that everyone should return to the place of their birth for a census. The trip to Bethlehem was a matter of compliance, not a honeymoon. There was no waiver for pregnant mothers, no regard for convenience or inconvenience. And so Joseph, an older man and a carpenter, confused by the “angelic” news that Mary, his fiancée was “with child” made a tough decision to “stick it out.” He loved her, and although the news was a total shock, he refused to exercise his right to divorce and shame her publicly. The two of them, newly-wedded, headed toward Bethlehem, as per the decree of the Emperor. Mary was young, considerably younger than Joseph. We have no record of how they met or what led to the original decision for them to be married. Was it an arranged marriage? The details are not recorded anywhere in the Bible. We do know that in spite of the difficulties, love prevailed. Together they determined to make the best of it and formed a family.
The fact that the birth story included the announcement to the poor shepherds and the wealthy astrologers (also known as wise men) speaks to this day of the inclusiveness of God’s universal love. The message on the hillside that night that sent the shepherds looking for “a babe in a manger” was “Peace on earth! Good will to men!” The message remains the same today. As much as things change, they remain the same. Two thousand years later, we are still paying taxes and complying with a government-mandated census. There are families who, like Mary and Joseph, face challenges, personally and financially, socially and politically. “Peace on earth” is needed today.
I have to believe that it was “love,” not angelic messages, that kept Joseph and Mary together as a couple two thousand years ago. I am captivated by the mystery of that love. Christmas still speaks to the human yearning for love, forgiveness, generosity, and community in the 21st century. This story, affirmed and celebrated by some two billion people on this planet, challenges us to love one another, in spite of our differences and difficulties. For in the end, it is love that must prevail for the human race to continue.
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Stephen York, Dean of Instruction at The American Institute for Creative Education (www.aiceonline.com) earned his B.A. degree from Norwich University (Vermont College) with a focus on education and liberal studies, and was awarded the M.Div. from the Starr King School, a consortium member of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. His 90 semester hours of graduate work focused on an interdisciplinary study of education and the humanities. He has done additional studies in special education. An experienced teacher in public and private school classrooms in New England, Mr. York also serves as Graduate Adjunct Faculty in Education at the Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. Currently, Stephen York serves as a pastor of a United Methodist Church on an island off of the coast of Maine. He has preached to a diverse group of Protestant churches from Unitarian Universalist to the Assemblies of God.
Blessings and blessed be
Rev Jeff