As we journey from the anticipation of Advent to the joy of Christmas, our thoughts naturally turn to the young pregnant woman from Nazareth – “round yon virgin” – making her difficult journey to Bethlehem.
Mary – humanity’s greatest model of faith – gave us the perfect example of discipleship. With total trust she became pregnant – inviting Jesus to grow within her. But she did not keep him to herself; at birth she shared him with us so that we might carry him into our suffering, needy world today.
This holy season is a wonderful time to reflect on what it means to carry and give birth to Jesus. Christmas is not only about remembering his coming into our world 2,000 years ago. It is also about his coming into our world today – through us.
But we cannot give Jesus a healthy birth, unless we are willing to carry him with caring attention. For him to grow well within us, we need to nourish our spirits regularly with the Eucharist, scripture, and personal prayer. With this spiritual sustenance we are strengthened for the ongoing process of conversion from sin – pride, anger, violence, injustice, lust, laziness, selfishness, apathy, and all forms of unkindness – to a wholehearted active belief in the Gospel.
Entering into this process readies us for a healthy delivery compelling us to continue Jesus’ proclamation of the Good News that he has conquered sin and death and invites to join him in building up his kingdom of love, joy, and peace!
But we are still in that in-between-time, of the kingdom being here, but not yet complete. Until Christ Jesus comes again – and brings the kingdom of God to perfect fulfillment – we must fight the darkness of sin with the weapons of light: faith, prayer, humility, compassion, courage, justice, peace and love.
To the degree that we take seriously the words and example of Jesus – and put them into action – we give birth to Jesus’ Spirit here and now, and advance God’s kingdom.
But often we miss opportunities to become pregnant with Jesus. Sometimes we neglect to thoughtfully meditate on the personal and global meaning of his teachings. In the Gospel Jesus issues a wake-up call: “But I say this to you who are listening …” He’s telling us to pay attention. Because a careful listening to his words will surely shake us up! They are radical, challenging and life-giving.
But being spiritually aroused is not enough – we must get moving! Entry into God’s kingdom demands a firm decision accompanied by action – especially towards the needy.
“Take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you … For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me …” Here in his sermon on the Last Judgment, Jesus warns that our very salvation greatly hinges on how well we have actively served the poor and vulnerable.
Giving birth to Jesus in the 21st century also demands that we tirelessly work for peace. Not the ancient Pax Romana, or the modern Pax Americana kind of “peace” – based on military might – but a peace that defies human nature: the peace of Christ! “You have heard how it was said, ‘You will love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you …”
Discipleship has its share of labor pains. But in giving birth to Jesus, we bring the love, joy and peace of salvation to those “who are listening,” and in the process find it ourselves!
Tony Magliano is an internationally syndicated Catholic social justice and peace columnist. He is available to speak at diocesan or parish gatherings. Tony can be reached at tmag6@comcast.net.
