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Christmas Day

Today's Lectionary Readings
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In much of Latin America, this is the time for posada-a custom
whereby the people in a village re-enact the trek of Mary and Joseph
on Christmas Eve night as they search for a place to stay. When Joseph
knocks on the door of each house to ask for a room, the people turn
the family away.  Eventually, as in the gospel account of
Christmas, Mary and Joseph find shelter in a barn, complete with the
presence of the town folk serving as angels and shepherds and
surrounded by local animals. 

In one village's re-enactment, everything was prepared for the
posada-it happened it was the first time this poor village would
enact it.  Mary and Joseph were dressed and ready to set out for
the countryside with the local burro carrying a very pregnant Mary;
the people in the area were prepared and had rehearsed what they were
all to do. As they set out on their journey, Joseph came to the first
house and, gesturing to his pregnant wife, he begged for
shelter.  All according to plan, so far!  However, instead
of closing the door in their faces as they had been prepared to do,
this couple was so moved by the sight that they unexpectedly and
spontaneously responded, "Oh, please!  Of course, you have
to come in!"  End of that posada!!!

While the posada is not something particularly familiar to us in our
North American culture, I find this story filled with things to think
about this Christmas.  The incarnation event celebrated each year
poses an interesting question for us:  What response do we give
when God attempts to intrude ever so gently upon our settled lives and
disturb our pre-conceived notions of how a given day or night is to be
spent or how our lives in mission are to unfold?  The temptation
to block out God's "disturbance" is sometimes fairly
strong-at least for me.  We may not want to open ourselves
to the consequences of such unplanned intrusion as the Gospel clearly
calls us toward deeper conversion.  We desperately may want to
close the door to our hearts and souls and remain in the ersatz
tranquility of our own plans, mindsets and predictable ways of living
out our lives. 

What might happen to us as a church and as a nation if we were to open
doors rather than shut them in the faces of those in desperate
need?  What would happen if we moved away from building barriers
to keep out those who have been designated "undesirable"
or, even more arrogantly, "illegal" human beings? 
For certain, our country and our church would welcome the pain of
conversion and move from suspicion and exclusion toward hospitality
and compassion. Perhaps then we might more honestly identify ourselves
as God's people.

Sister Donna Markham, OP is President and CEO of Catholic Charities
USA.




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