December 18-Not so Silent Night

When we read the story of Jesus' birth, there are many aspects of it that makes me wonder how it really was. What was Mary really thinking when the angel approached her with this ministry of birthing the Lord? Then the song Silent Night. The writer of that song must have had another experience for that song, and it not being the night of the Savior's birth. The town of Bethlehem was anything but silent and calm. Can you imagine a town so full of people there is no hotel space, and only a barn left for Mary and Joseph?

When there is an event in the village in Haiti and people ride in on their donkeys, it is not quiet. Donkeys are braying. Everyone is talking and trying to find a spot to sleep.

Then there are the gifts the magi brought probably months later, as the Bible says they came to the house and saw the child. What did Mary think when she saw the gifts? She surely knew what the gifts were normally used for: frankincense was used to give sweet odor in the court of the Tabernacle for sin offering.

Myrrh was used for embalming before burial. Wouldn't a mother think this a strange gift at the worship of her baby?

Then gold—used as gifts for royalty. And it was used in the decor of the temple that Solomon built.

These gifts told the story of Jesus' life. Did Mary remember these gifts as he suffered for the sins of the people? Did she remember when they took the spices for burial? Did she remember the gold when He ascended into Heaven?

God bless you