A nice story to remember

Descanso durante la huída a Egipto (1665). Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

A long long time ago, there was a girl who lived in Galilee. The story says she was a very nice girl, so nice she was chosen by God to perform one miracle: being able to bear a child virginally. Mary was the name of this girl, and she was to marry Joseph. One day, Mary received the visit of Archangel Gabriel who came to announce her pregnancy and recommended her to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was with baby too. Upon Mary's arrival, Elizabeth received her telling her "You are blessed among women and blessed is the fruit that is in your womb." Some people say Mary had to deal with many social problems related to her pregnancy. Eventually, Mary and Joseph did marry, and had to move to a very little town near Jerusalem called Betlehem due to the Roman census taking place at that time. Along the way, Mary was ready to deliver the baby, and Joseph hurried to look for a place where she could do it comfortably. Unfortunately for them, nobody had space in their homes, only one man was able to provide them with accomodation in his barn, and baby Jesus was finally born in a menger, between the ox and the ass.

  Other people say that while Mary was wondering along in the dessert she started feeling the pains of birth. Mary clung to a palm tree in dispair and screamed in pain, and it was baby Jesus himself who told her to shake the palm tree so she could eat the dates provided and calm down. Upon her return, the people from her town accused her for having a baby out of marriage. Her baby saved her by being able to speak telling the people what really happened. 

  While some consider this child to be the son of God, others just consider him an illuminated human who came to set an example. I cannot prove that this cute little baby is the son of God, nor do I intend to since that is only a matter of faith, and it will depend on each person. The one thing I do believe is that this baby lived a meaningful life that is still remembered even after more than 2011 years!

  Born in the most humble way possible, under a palm tree or in a menger inside a barn, this baby came with the simple task of telling us to be fraternal, to make other people's lives a little bit more liveable, and with a soothing promise of a loving God who put a tiny little bit of himself in each of us.

  For me, the arrival these very human, simple, and inclusive statements surrounded by such a tender story of humility and compassion are enough reason to celebrate.

  Yet, year after year many of us face December with some degree of bitterness due to big spends, social commitments, traffic, continuous mediatic bombing, and more traffic. We smile because that's what we are expected, but deep down some of us despise all of this. We feel lonely even if we are surrounded by friends, we might even feel empty in spite of everything around! It's the season of mixed feelings. Maybe we have forgotten what is it we are celebrating, being that we are filled with hopes. The truth is we all want something for the holidays.

  But what more can we ask for when it is in these days that we are reminded that a long long time ago, lived this very very nice girl who miraculously gave birth to a baby who lived to love, and kept reminding us to trust our very own personal link with God? It does not matter if you celebrate Christmas, if you are a Christian, or if you even believe in God, there was a man like you and me who, a couple of thousand years ago, was able to open his eyes to the others, someone who was genuinely able to recognize the humanity in every person and stood up for every single one of them, someone who seeked to include everyone rather than classifying them. That, is one lovely timeless testimony, even twenty one centuries later when we are still struggling to open our eyes, when we are still fighting to exclude in order to defend ourselves from self-created imaginary enemies. This is what I want to celebrate for Christmas this year.

That is why I just want to wish you: my friends, family, and the people I love lots of happyness and blessings during these holidays, and the best for the coming year!