{"id":19026,"date":"2022-12-22T09:14:39","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T15:14:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/?p=19026"},"modified":"2026-02-09T08:18:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T14:18:30","slug":"the-heartbeat-of-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/2022\/12\/22\/the-heartbeat-of-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"The heartbeat of Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“Advent Nativity” photo by Julia Walsh FSPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There is an ancient story that is our common heartbeat. It speaks to us, deeply, quietly and simply; its whispers are heard in the rhythms of our ordinary lives, in between the rushing activity of our regular days. As we move together and alone, the power of this ancient story is known and felt in the cracks and creases of our common heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve been waiting for this feast for four weeks. We\u2019ve been waiting for this moment for thousands of years. We\u2019ve been waiting in the dark, lighting candles, and turning calendar pages to count down the days. We are Advent people; we were made to be people of joyful anticipation. We are communities who persist in hopeful, loving actions. We heed the cries of the prophetic voices from long ago, we respond with courage to the cries of the prophetic poor in our own time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They shall beat their swords into plowshares<\/em>\n and their spears into pruning hooks;\nOne nation shall not raise the sword against another,<\/em>\n nor shall they train for war again.<\/em> - Isaiah 2:4<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
All of us have been told we are part of something. We have heard the decrees from the people with power and we know we must be enrolled. We have decided; we want our names to be associated with peacemaking, with justice, with charity and advocacy. We have gathered at polling places and filled out census forms. We have traveled across great distances to return to our roots, to be the people we were born to be. We are children of our ancestors, and we are all one family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus \nthat the whole world should be enrolled.\nThis was the first enrollment, \nwhen Quirinius was governor of Syria.\nSo all went to be enrolled, \neach to his own town.\n\u2013 Luke 2:1-3<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
In partnership with the Spirit, traveling to connect to the stirring in their hearts: this is the ancient story and this is the story of activists who travel to capitols to protest injustice. They stand for what is good and true and align their names with the cries of the oppressed. They confront systems of oppression. They proclaim truth in towns with little or no room: We are all part of one human family; we all are deserving of the protection of our dignity and rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And Joseph too went up from Galilee <\/em>\nfrom the town of Nazareth to Judea, <\/em>\nto the city of David that is called Bethlehem,\nbecause he was of the house and family of David, <\/em>\nto be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, <\/em>\nwho was with child.<\/em>\n\u2013 Luke 2:14-5<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
We have all done risky things when we were vulnerable, just so we could be with the ones we love. Some of us have gone into the depth and despair of the deserts<\/a>, hoping to save lives and bring aid. Many of us have companioned women through the pains of pregnancy, labor and delivery; some of us have carried children in the midst of dire circumstances. All of our mothers had to struggle to bring us into the world, had to abandon their fears<\/a> and agonizing questions so they could push on with all their trust and love. Each of us must detach from particular desires and deal with what life gives us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While they were there, the time came<\/em>\nfor her to have her child, <\/em>\nand she gave birth to her firstborn son.\nShe wrapped him in swaddling clothes<\/em>\nand laid him in a manger, <\/em>\nbecause there was no room<\/em>\nfor them in the inn.<\/em>\n\u2013 Luke 2:6-7<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Far and near, people keep watch at night: security guards, police officers, nannies, night nurses, maintenance workers, farm laborers and janitors. Many of those who keep watch are marginalized, poor and struggling. Their work is not the glorified and glamorous; they are often the forgotten and hidden ones in our societies. They are the ones who care for the rest of us, who make sure that no one gets lost in the night. It is them to whom God appears, who are able to witness great miracles, who experience wonder and awe. The people on watch in the night are the ones God encourages with instructions to let go of fear, with good news and joy for the entire universe.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now there were shepherds in that region <\/em>\nliving in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.\nThe angel of the Lord appeared to them<\/em>\nand the glory of the Lord shone around them,\nand they were struck with great fear.\nThe angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid;<\/em>\nfor behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy<\/em>\nthat will be for all the people.'<\/em>\n\u2013 Luke 2:8-10<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
The signs that God is triumphant in our ordinary lives are simple; we can easily miss the truth if we are not paying attention. God\u2019s peace comes in as little resurrections, as simple serenity found in normal circumstances: The person who once had a broken back now walks down the sidewalk; the child who was hit by a car is laughing with her friends. God\u2019s glory reigns in peace offered from neighbor to stranger in the midst of chaos and confusion. Yes, God\u2019s glory is available to all of us who recognize that love is the strongest force in the universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
'For today in the city of David a savior has been born<\/em>\nfor you who is Messiah and Lord.\nAnd this will be a sign for you: <\/em>\nyou will find an infant wrapped<\/em>\nin swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.'\nAnd suddenly there was a multitude<\/em>\nof the heavenly host with the angel,<\/em>\npraising God and saying:\nGlory to God in the highest<\/em> and on earth peace<\/em>\nto those on whom his favor rests.'<\/em>\n\u2013 Luke 2:11-14<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
All over the world, people have heard invitations from God in their lives and have been obedient. They have given up on selfishness and shallow dreams. Grace and love has moved them to margins, edges and brand new vantage points. Missionaries are making homes in new cultures and communities. The privileged and poor are giving up their comforts so they can serve where they are needed. This is the Franciscan sister riding her motorcycle through the jungle of Bolivia to care for infants. This is the priest in the remote village of Mexico hearing confessions. This is the Maryknoll missionary visiting the prisoner in Kenya. This is the teacher of nonviolence in the midst of gang warfare in Chicago. When these instruments obey God\u2019s voice and share what they have experienced and know, then many are amazed and transformed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the angels went away from them to heaven,<\/em>\nthe shepherds said to one another,\n'Let us go, then, to Bethlehem<\/em>\nto see this thing that has taken place,<\/em>\nwhich the Lord has made known to us.'\nSo they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph,<\/em>\nand the infant lying in the manger.\nWhen they saw this, they made known<\/em>\nthe message that had been told them about this child.\nAll who heard it were amazed <\/em>\nby what had been told them by the shepherds.<\/em>\n\u2013 Luke 2:15-18<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
We all have encountered the unexplainable, we all have touched mystery by our living. We have crossed through liminal space and been influenced by the Great Mystery. In isolated monasteries and on city streets, we have reflected on the blessings of saying \u201cYes\u201d to God\u2019s mysterious ways. We have praised and glorified God for the wonder of discipleship and how we can only know one step at a time. We marvel at the joy of being part of a story that is bigger than us, that is beyond us, that remains amazingly mysterious to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And Mary kept all these things, <\/em>\nreflecting on them in her heart.\nThen the shepherds returned, <\/em>\nglorifying and praising God <\/em>\nfor all they had heard and seen, <\/em>\njust as it had been told to them.<\/em>\n\u2013 Luke 2:19-20<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This Advent, this Christmas, as well as in all the ordinary, regular days, we live this ancient story right out of our hearts. We celebrate and rejoice for we are people of the Incarnation. We are instruments of peace and joy, of hope and transformation. God\u2019s story is our story. God\u2019s story is in our heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Behold, the virgin shall be<\/em>\nwith child and bear a son,\nand they shall name him Emmanuel,<\/em>\nwhich means 'God is with us.'<\/em>\n\u2013Matthew 1:23<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Our heart is in God, and God is with us, while the stories we live beat with God\u2019s love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 Photo by Jonathan Dick, OSFS<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
This post is an adapted version of one of my earlier writings, \"The story in the world's heart\"<\/a> published by Global Sisters Report<\/strong><\/em> on December 24, 2015.<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There is an ancient story that is our common heartbeat. It speaks to us, deeply, quietly and simply; its whispers are heard in the rhythms of our ordinary lives, in between the rushing activity of our regular days. As we move together and alone, the power of this ancient story is known and felt in...","protected":false},"author":4071079,"featured_media":19039,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2178641],"tags":[6722,698755378,575700,698756209,214,14196316,698756206,110717,6406728,698756208,698756205,64260,698756204,476510,698755383,698756207],"series":[698756626],"class_list":["post-19026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prayer-and-spirituality","tag-activism","tag-advent","tag-baby-jesus","tag-christian-discipleship","tag-christianity","tag-christmas","tag-christmas-story","tag-emmanuel","tag-gospel-living","tag-heartbeat","tag-heartbreak","tag-human-experience","tag-journey-to-bethlehem","tag-nativity","tag-pilgrimage","tag-story-of-our-heart","series-messy-jesus-business"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/jon-tyson-nI8YlkExQoI-unsplash-scaled.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/feed\/podcast\/messy-jesus-business","embedCode":"
The heartbeat of Christmas<\/a><\/blockquote>