I once had a professor in undergrad who asked us to explain this axiom on an exam: “Christmas means we ought to take care of our bodies.” As a sophomore in undergrad, I wrote the expected answer on incarnation not even realizing what it truly meant for God to be incarnate; that God took on human flesh as a sign of God’s infinite love for God’s creation; that God wanted not only to be with us, but within us – in our bodies so that God might know exactly what it feels like to be human. 

But even when God came to earth, in the person of Jesus Christ, the world was carrying on. Mary, in her ninth month of pregnancy, was forced to travel a great distance to be counted in the census. Her older husband Joseph, was carrying a wide load, looking out for his family, despite the confusion he must have been feeling surrounding his wife’s pregnancy. The world was in its normal state, hustling and bustling, (much like we are at Christmas) unaware that God was coming to earth.  

The shepherds, who in the ancient context were socially excluded, receive the angelic proclamation. They are the first to hear the news of Jesus’s birth, which emphasizes God’s intentional inclusion of the marginalized. In God’s first moments on earth, the angels challenge the status quo and continue to challenge contemporary societies to question who holds the privilege of hearing and receiving the transformative messages of hope and salvation. This proclamation is universal: “good news of great joy for all the people.” It underscores the inclusivity of God’s redemptive plan, demanding that social justice and liberation be pursued for all, especially those who are poor, marginalized, and harmed by social structure. The incarnation and the birth of Jesus serve as a reminder that Christianity is an active faith rooted in the transformation of the world. 

Jesus’s birth is the promise of peace prophesied in the Isaiah reading for today. In her book Scarred by Struggle, Joan Chittister describes the duality of hope and despair and believes that they are not opposites, but rather made from the same material, shaped from the same circumstances. As I read the words: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light,” I returned to this notion that things we believe to be opposites, are just operating on the same continuum. When Light comes to earth in the form of a little child named Jesus, we – the people walking in darkness – might choose to see a great light, to choose joy, to be filled with hope, because God is with us. 

And when God does arrive in humility and vulnerability, the world filled with people who are marked by turmoil, uncertainty, and sadness might become a world of hope, community, and growth. God, in choosing such humble surroundings for the birth of Jesus, communicates a message that resonates through with each of us today – that the divine is not confined to palaces or high places but is intimately present in the lowly and the ordinary – among the people in darkness, hoping that they will see the great light of liberation before them. 

Merry Christmas! May we all see a great light in the midst of darkness!

Dorothy Day was an American journalist and activist who co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement. She remains a deeply influential figure who demonstrated a deep commitment to social justice, advocacy for the poor, and a strong belief in solidarity. Day’s solidarity was deeply rooted in her understanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ and Catholic social teaching. The Catholic Worker Movement established “Houses of Hospitality” where those in need could find shelter, food, and support. These houses were intentional communities where people lived together, fostering a sense of shared humanity and mutual support. 

Image description: Against a rocky and hilly background while the sun sets, two brown-skilled people stand. One, wearing a purple hijab, holds a child in her arms wrapped in a blanket. The other stands to her left, wearing a brown sweater and carrying a green bag. All three have halos around their heads.

Kelly Latimore met the family depicted in this icon while in Palestine in 2008. At the time they lived in a terribly confined refugee camp in the West Bank. Given everything going on in the world, localized in Palestine, Latimore’s depiction of this family has been a beacon of hope and nonviolent resistance in the area. May peace be with them and the continued work of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Palestine.