Diane M. Houdek

Looking to the margins is often where we’ll be surprised by a glimpse of God. We become too familiar with the main players in the Gospels. We expect Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to be exemplary role models. But for the Christian message to take root, there must have been hundreds, even thousands, among the early followers of Jesus to live the life he exemplified, to witness to his words with their deeds. Sometimes seeing someone else offering their service to another person in need is all we need to spark our own mercy and generosity. We think, “That doesn’t seem so hard.

There’s something precious about watching young children experience the joy and wonder of the lights and decorations and presents under the tree. But Pope Francis does well to remind us that not all children experience these things that so many of us take for granted. Often we can’t even imagine how terrible life is for these children. This is the challenge of the Gospel, the challenge of Jesus. That challenge doesn’t go away because it’s Christmas. We don’t get a break from the reality of suffering and violence in our world. To hide our faces is to compound our guilt.

We all have hopes and dreams for the children in our lives. Whether it’s starting a college fund the day they’re born or simply praying that they will be healthy and happy, we want what’s best for them. These dreams are surely the most idyllic when children are infants, before they learn the word no.

We know how fragile newborn life can be. And we know that these tiny lives can still be lost, even with all the technological advances of our own century.

The simple yet profound mystery of the Incarnation is this: The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

The holidays can be extremely difficult for people for myriad reasons. The loss of loved ones, loneliness, mental health issues, being far away from family, and working long hours in jobs that don’t slow down because it’s Christmas are just a few that come to mind.

Mary knew who she was to the very depth of her being. She said yes to God and because of that, the world was turned upside down, or perhaps was finally righted. Mary’s is her testimony to the way God intended the world to be from the beginning. Because she said yes, a new creation would be revealed to the world. This woman at the heart of the Advent season is a remarkable role model for us. We might not realize it, but we, too, are filled with God’s grace, even if that grace is clouded and obscured by sin.